LONDON:  The fast-changing focus on managerial security switched from Ralph Hasenhutttl to Unai Emery after Arsenal were fortunate to escape with a 2-2 draw at home to Southampton. Arsenal are without a win in six games in all competitions and have wn only two of their last 11 Premier League games.

The Gunners looked on course for defeat after falling behind first to Danny Ings then to James Ward-Prowse who scored after having a penalty saved by Bernd Leno. Each time they recovered through Alexandre Lacazette. His stoppage-time second goal saved them from their first home league defeat by Southampton in more than 30 years.

Manager Emery, facing fans’ demands for his dismissal, said: “The club are supporting me every day and I know I can do better. I’m going to try to do that. It’s difficult but we need to move on in the next days. We know, and I know, that we need to connect with our supporters.”

The first opportunity to repair the damage comes at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA League on Thursday.

Hasenhuttl thought his team should have scored “three, four or five goals.” Saints had been strengthened by the return of wingback Ryan Bertrand from suspension for the first time since he was sent off in last month’s 9:0 defeat by Leicester. But they have still not won in the league since September 14 and Hasenhuttl held his head in his hands in disappointment at the final whistle.

United rescue act

Two teenagers came to the rescue of manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer as Manchester United recovered from 2:- down to draw 3-3 away to promoted Sheffield United.

Goals from Brandon Williams, 19, and Mason Greenwood, 18, plus another from Marcus Rashford turned the game on its head before Oli McBurnie levelled late for Sheffield. VAR rejected Reds’ appeals for handball.

Jurgen Klopp was delighted with Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace despite a below-par performance.

Roberto Firmino’s late winner extended the leaders’ unbeaten league run to 30 games and ended his own eight-game goalscoring drought.

Klopp said: “The challenge is that the players are coming back from the international teams so I had no problem that we were not brilliant.” Mohamed Salah was an unused substitute after an ankle injury.

Norwich rose from the bottom of the table with their first away win to increase the pressure on Everton manager Marco Silva.

Todd Cantwell’s opening goal was the Canaries’ first away from home in 10 hours 20 minutes. Manager Daniel Farke said: “I was confident of getting something from the game. We showed that, if we stick together, we have the tools and the mentality and the quality to have a chance in every game.”

#############