Lee Dixon felt Oleksandr Zinchenko ‘went to sleep’ for Southampton’s third goal (Picture: YouTube)
Lee Dixon criticised Oleksandr Zinchenko after Arsenal dropped more points against Southampton but insisted his former club are still capable of winning the Premier League title.
Arsenal were left with mixed feelings after a 3-3 draw with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.
While it means they have now dropped points in three successive games and failed to beat the team sitting bottom of the Premier League, it could have been even worse had they not produced a late comeback.
Arsenal were staring down the barrel when Southampton went 3-1 up through Duje Caleta-Car’s second-half header, but late goals from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka rescued a point.
Southampton also led by two goals in the first half after Carlos Alcaraz scored inside 30 seconds courtesy of an Aaron Ramsdale error and Theo Walcott netted against his former club, but Gabriel Martinelli reduced the arrears.
Dixon still believes Arsenal are capable of winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004 but admits Manchester City are now firm favourites for the title.
The Gunners sit five points above Man City ahead of Wednesday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium but Pep Guardiola’s side have two games in hand and a better goal difference.
The shares were spoiled on a dramatic night in north London (Picture: Getty)
‘Arsenal have got a tough run coming up but those fixtures were set last summer,’ Dixon said on Premier League Productions. ‘You’ve got to play everyone twice.
‘They had an easier run earlier in the season and this is the tough bit now. This is how you win a title.
‘Man City are obviously favourites now but Arsenal have still got that game at the Etihad and this team are capable of beating Man City, we know that. You would expect City to have a bit too much for them but we’ll see.’
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While Dixon was keen to stress the positives following a dramatic 3-3 draw in north London, he singled out Zinchenko for criticism and said he ‘went to sleep’ for Southampton’s third goal.
The Saints were in dreamland midway through the second half as a corner was flicked to the back-post and met by Caleta-Car, who was being marked by Zinchenko.
‘Look at Zinchenko for Southampton’s third goal,’ Dixon said. ‘He’s got his man, he’s looking at his man, he’s got his arm in the air and then he just goes to sleep.
Oleksandr Zinchenko in action against Southampton (Picture: Getty)
‘He’s not a brilliant defender. He’s brilliantly on the ball and Arsenal use him to their strengths with the ball.
‘But without the ball, we saw him play a role in Liverpool’s equaliser at Anfield and again today.
‘He’s got to be alive as a defender, whether you sometimes go into midfield or not. It’s your job to keep the ball out of the back of the net.’
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‘He just goes to sleep.’
