On paper, this looked like the match where Unai Emery would begin to turn the tide at Arsenal.
Before Saturday the Spaniard was without a win in five matches in all competitions - but the visit of Southampton, a side 19th in the Premier League and with just two wins to their name all season, looked like the perfect chance to change that.
However Arsenal needed a last-gasp goal to grab a point and the boos at the full-time whistle told you all you needed to know about how the home fans felt.
The Arsenal hierarchy have wanted to give him time to turn things around, but this performance offered little in the way of green shots.
The fact that Tottenham down the road changed their manager, and instantly won won’t have helped Emery’s cause.
Xhaka’s exile from the first team continues to raise questions about his future
After an international break in which Granit Xhaka played 180 minutes for Switzerland - and scored - you thought the midfielder may make his Arsenal comeback against Southampton.
The 27-year-old has not played for the Gunners since October 27, when he publicly fell out with supporters and was later stripped of the captaincy.
Emery said this week Xhaka has a future at Arsenal, but surely being left out of a match-day squad for a home game against a team in the relegation places brings that statement into question?
Xhaka will now have to hope he is brought back into the fold on Thursday when Arsenal host Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. If he doesn’t play then, it will be over two months since the midfielder last played for the Gunners
Lacazette breaks duck as international break helps him find feet
Until Saturday, you had to go all the way back to September 1 to find the last time Alexandre Lacazette scored for Arsenal.
The striker was sidelined by an ankle injury after that goal against Tottenham and he did not return until October 21, when the Gunners travelled to Sheffield United.
Admittedly, after a period out of the team, Lacazette looked rusty upon his initial return - but he appeared back to near his best against Southampton on Saturday.
The Frenchman has had the benefit of the international break to train and get fully fit, and it seemingly paid dividends as he scored both of Arsenal's goals against Saints.
They were not the greatest goals the striker will ever score, but he won’t care. His duck has now been broken and he will hope he can kick on from here.
Aubameyang, Lacazette, Ozil and Pepe need to start together
It raised a few eyebrows before kick-off when Emery opted to go with three at the back for this visit of Southampton.
Before Saturday, Saints had shipped 29 goals in 12 League games and their defence seemed there for the taking.
However it was not until half-time, when Nicolas Pepe came on, that the Gunners finally began to take advantage of that.
It meant an attacking quartet of Pepe, Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil - who were just as good on the pitch as you’d imagine them to be on paper.
Quite simply, they transformed the threat the Gunners offered going forward and it should now be clear to Emery that is the way to go.
It is set of players whose combined worth is around £220million and it is time for the Arsenal hierarchy to get their money’s worth.
