Arsenal came from behind to maintain their unbeaten start to the season against winless Southampton at Emirates Stadium.

Two goals in 10 second-half minutes from Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli ensured the Gunners made a full recovery after being stunned by Cameron Archer’s opener for the visitors, before Bukayo Saka confirmed the three points late on.

It meant Arsenal became only the second club in Premier League history to record 400 home wins, and they remain within one point of Premier League pace-setters Liverpool before the international break.

Southampton, who still only have one point after seven games, had struggled amid incessant Arsenal pressure from the outset but, albeit at times unconvincingly, the visitors successfully held out until half-time.

Saints took an unexpected lead 10 minutes after the restart, Archer providing a neat finish on the counter attack after Raheem Sterling, making his first league start for the Gunners, was dispossessed by Mateus Fernandes.

That only served to spark Arsenal into life, however, and the hosts responded just three minutes later when Havertz curved an excellent finish in off the post, before Martinelli timed his run perfectly to meet Saka’s cross at the back post.

With Arsenal unable to put the game out of reach, Southampton produced a spirited response but were twice denied by the woodwork when Dibling’s effort deflected on to the post and Adam Armstrong hit the crossbar from the resulting corner.

But Saka, provider of his side’s first two goals, scored the third in the closing stages with a clinical finish, as Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches.

Saka stars in Arsenal fightback
Arsenal required a dramatic late show to rescue three points against Leicester last weekend and, for a long period, their latest meeting with one of the promoted clubs again threatened to prove complicated.

It took Southampton’s opener to animate Arsenal, until then bordering on complacent in their dominance and infuriatingly wasteful in pursuit of a breakthrough.

But the response is what will matter most to Arteta, enjoying his longest unbeaten streak as Arsenal boss, with five wins from seven – along with two draws achieved with 10 men – representing a very promising start to their latest Premier League title challenge.

Saka once again proved invaluable to the Gunners’ cause, with his involvement in all three goals taking his tally to three goals and seven assists after 10 games in all competitions this season.

The England international kick-started the comeback by dispossessing Flynn Downes and teeing up Havertz, then lofting a wonderful cross to Martinelli before getting the goal his performance deserved.

With his equaliser, Havertz became the first Arsenal player to score in seven consecutive home appearances in all competitions since Robin van Persie in March 2012, as he continues to flourish as the Gunners’ frontman.

It appeared set to be a long afternoon for Southampton as they weathered wave after wave of Arsenal attacks in the early stages, but Russell Martin’s side grew in belief as they restricted Arsenal to just one first-half shot on target.

That saw Thomas Partey, deployed at right-back in the absence of the injured Jurrien Timber, denied by former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale before Jan Bednarek denied Sterling on the rebound.

But Saints’ joy was short-lived following Archer’s shock opener and the visitors were ultimately overrun in the closing stages, following a triple change by Arteta which saw Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and summer signing Mikel Merino inject much-needed energy.

Despite positives for Martin to take, not least their resilience, they have now matched their worst ever top-flight run, going a 20th match without a win for the first time since 1969.

Victor Osimhen scored his first brace for Galatasaray in the club’s 3-3 draw with Kasimpasa in their Turkish Super Lig match at RAMS Park in Istanbul on Saturday.

In his third league match for the club, the on-loan 25-year-old striker serenaded the home fans with two well-taken goals to add to four assists since his arrival at the table-topping club.

Osimhen opened his club account in the 20th minute when his attempted control from a cross fooled a committed goalkeeper and the Super Eagles striker watched the ball cross the line to a loud jubilation from the crowd.

If the first was ingenious, the second goal — eight minutes later — reeked of pure class. The former Lille striker latched on to a deep cross and swiveled despite the presence of a defender on him before lashing a volley into the roof of the net for 2-0 to his club.

A Wilfred Ndidi own goal in the 94th minute and a close-range Kai Havertz strike in the ninth minute of stoppage time denied a Foxes side who were within reach of an unlikely point at Emirates Stadium after clawing back a two-goal deficit in the second half.

Gabriel Martinelli had given the dominant Gunners a deserved first-half lead when he steered home Jurrien Timber’s cross, before providing the pass for the second, converted by Leandro Trossard, on the stroke of half-time.

Leicester had managed only one touch in the Arsenal area before the break, but they reduced the arrears a little over a minute into the second half when James Justin’s header from Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick struck Havertz on its way in.

Justin doubled his personal tally in spectacular fashion shortly after the hour mark, meeting Ndidi’s left-wing delivery with a swerving volley that beat David Raya via the inside of the post.

If Arsenal were momentarily stunned by Leicester’s recovery, they soon recovered their poise and Mads Hermansen produced two superb saves to keep the Foxes level, denying Havertz with a point-blank stop before keeping out Trossard’s shot – moments after giving the ball away inside his own area.

But Trossard’s late effort was deflected past the Danish goalkeeper by Ndidi before Havertz struck from close-range to complete the scoring.

Victory lifts Arsenal level on points with Manchester City, who could be overtaken by Liverpool if they beat Wolves at Molineux in Saturday’s late game.

Arsenal fans must have been scratching their heads as the game entered second-half stoppage time, as Leicester closed in on a draw that had barely seemed possible at the halfway point of the contest.

Notwithstanding a Justin shot which was blocked by Riccardo Calafiori, the first 45 minutes took place almost entirely inside the Leicester half, with Bukayo Saka and Martinelli both going close before the Brazilian’s 20th-minute opener.

Calafiori stung Hermansen’s palms and Havertz sent a header narrowly wide from Trossard’s cross, before the Belgian – back from suspension after his dismissal against City last weekend – gave the home side a richly deserved two-goal cushion.

Justin’s first of the afternoon came almost out of nothing and, buoyed by his header, the Foxes continued to venture forward and eventually restored parity through the defender’s spectacular swerving strike.

Time appeared to be running out for Arteta’s team, who had registered more than 30 shots – including 14 on target – and racked up 14 corners as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.

Hermansen did brilliantly to keep out goalbound efforts from Havertz and Trossard before denying Calafiori and substitute Ethan Nwaneri as the Gunners piled forward in increasing desperation.

But they were finally rewarded for their pressure and persistence with just over three of the allotted seven minutes of added time remaining, before Havertz completed the scoring with virtually the final touch of the game.

Pain for Foxes, but positives for Cooper
Steve Cooper said he would not shy away from criticism after Leicester fans were heard chanting “Cooper, sort it out” and “this is embarrassing” during Tuesday’s penalty shootout victory at Walsall in the Carabao Cup.

At half-time on Saturday, it looked like being another painful afternoon for the Foxes and their manager as Arsenal sailed serenely into a two-goal lead, but Leicester’s second-half recovery – though ultimately in vain – will give fans heart for the battles ahead.

Cooper’s team were vastly improved after the restart and Justin’s sensational drive will live long in the memories of the away fans nestled in the lower tier of the Emirates Stadium’s south east corner.

Hermansen was sensational in the latter stages, producing a string of fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay – but there was little he could do about Ndidi’s own goal or Havertz’s last-gasp effort.

Not for the first time this season, Cooper was frustrated by some of the officiating at Emirates Stadium, with referee Sam Barrott refusing to penalise William Saliba for a tug on Jamie Vardy in the build-up to Martinelli’s opener.

Cooper and Vardy were both booked after remonstrating with the officials in the aftermath of the goal.

Once the dust settles on this pulsating contest, Cooper can reflect with pride on his team’s fightback against one of the Premier League’s title challengers – but the manner of the defeat may take a while to digest.