Arsenal February Update

Huddersfield 1-2 Arsenal 

Following defeat against Manchester City, next up for Arsenal was a trip to league strugglers Huddersfield. 

Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal a 2-1 win at Huddersfield to keep their top-four chase on track, with an unconvincing display. 

Alex Iwobi opened the scoring, albeit against the run of play when his deflected effort from Sead Kolasinac's cross was palmed into the corner of his net by the goalkeeper.

Huddersfield controlled possession for large periods of the game, and were unlucky that nothing would fall for them inside the Arsenal area, and instead again against the run of play, Alex Lacazette doubled the lead just before half-time when turning in Ainsley Maitland-Niles' low cross from close range

The hosts, on a poor run of form, losing 11 of their last 12, never gave up and finally got their reward in the third minute of added time in the second half when Kolasinac turned Adama Diakhaby's shot into his own goal. The game ended 2-1 to the visitors, and Arsenal pulled back within a point of fourth-placed Manchester United.

Next for Arsenal was a Europa League double header. After crashing out of the FA Cup to league rivals Manchester United, the Gunners travelled to Belarus to face BATE Borisov. 

BATE Borisov 1 - 0 Arsenal

Alexandre Lacazette was sent off to add insult to injury, on a poor European night for Arsenal, who suffered a shock Europa League defeat to BATE Borisov in the first leg of their last-32 tie, with a Stanislav Dragun header separating the sides. 

Unai Emery's team wasted early chances in the first half through Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lacazette, before BATE scored on the stroke of half-time An Igor Stasevich whipped in a free-kick was headed powerfully past cup keeper Petr Cech by Dragun.

The second half was a poor showing. A defensive display by the hosts bored the travelling fans. Lacazette had the ball in the net in the 56th minute but was ruled out for offside. Unai Emery threw on Lucas Torreira, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Suarez from the bench, a sign of intent but ultimately produced no final product. Frustrations boiled over when Lacazette was sent off for elbowing Aleksandar Filipovic in the 86th minute, being hit with a 3 game ban, meaning he will miss the second leg, and potentially both games of the next round. 

Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov

Arsenal produced the vintage performance they needed to cruise into the Europa League last-16 with a 3-1 aggregate win over BATE.

After suffering a shock defeat in the away leg a week before, the Gunners came into this one trailing 1-0 on aggregate. The English sides response was instant, getting the lead within four minutes when Zakhar Volkov turned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's low cross into his own goal, without facing pressure from anyone 

Arsenal went ahead in the tie for the first time five minutes before the break, when Shkodran Mustafi headed home Granit Xhaka's corner at the far post, comfortable on the night, but the tie was still all to play for.

A 2-1 aggregate score left the tie was still finely-balanced, but with another centre back rising to hit Arsenal's third settled it. On the hour when substitute Sokratis nodded in to an empty net when Denis Scherbitski missed his punch from another Xhaka delivery. 

Arsenal 2-0 Southampton - 24/2/19

Two goals in the first 20 minutes by Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan sealed victory for Arsenal, who moved above Manchester United following their draw with Liverpool. 

Lacazette was given one of the simplest chances he could wish for after six minutes when Mkhitaryan's half-volley found him unmarked six yards out and he directed the ball beyond Saints goalkeeper Angus Gunn with a smart flick. Saints protested, with some players stopping after Arsenal’s penalty claims, which were waved off by the referee. Southampton players ignoring the basic teachings of ‘play to the whistle’, which allowed Lacazette to score.

Mkhitaryan got himself an assist and his goal came 11 minutes later, neatly hitting home from an Alex Iwobi deflected cross. 

Arsenal host Bournemouth on Wednesday, and Southampton face a fight to stay in the division, who host Fulham on the same day.