Whatever doubts anyone might harbour about Arsenal’s standard, they continue to tick off the lesser assignments and will stay among the European spots if that trend is maintained. A sloppy start gave way to a comfortable afternoon’s work; even better, the goals were shared between a striker, a midfielder and a defender. In recent years Mikel Arteta would have revelled in a healthy haul that did not rely squarely on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, so he could be doubly relieved to savour one here.
![Arsenal stroll past Southampton after Arteta drops Aubameyang](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/06ed9c62c5112b7134099613447df85cf2b06870/0_178_3500_2101/master/3500.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdG8tZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=4adb0bad84c7f83f8464c3a323137d6b)
While Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel can be feted for their contributions, their names took a back seat in the post-match conversation. Arteta must have thought he had left Arsenal’s soap‑opera habits behind after a summer revamp but he now faces a huge decision on how to deal with his club captain, who was dropped from the match‑day squad after returning late from a trip abroad. Aubameyang has let Arteta down before and been forgiven. On the available evidence that is not a state of affairs that can continue infinitely and it is no example to set when you are an elder statesman in the Premier League’s youngest squad.