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Olivier Giroud guided Arsenal to a gritty 2-0 victory over Southampton as the Gunners maintained their place as league leaders on Saturday.

With the visitors boasting the league’s most miserly defense, Arsenal had some job to do in finding the net today and indeed, it only took a pair of self-inflicted moments from Pochettino’s men for the Gunners to clutch the three points.

After 22 minutes into the affair, Artur Boruc had all the time in the world to hoof the ball back into play after receiving a back pass.

But Southampton’s shot- stopper chose to dally on the ball, allowing Giroud to steal possession and score. It was a gift, but one which the hosts deserved after some exquisite efforts from Wilshere and then Ramsey had been denied by the wood-work earlier on.

And despite a stern response to going behind from Southampton which hindered the Gunners from killing off the game, some shirt pulling from Jose Fonte on Per Mertesacker late in the second-half handed Wenger’s side a penalty kick which Giroud stepped up and dispatched just four minutes from time.

It was a day of taking the chances which in truth, were expected to be few.

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