As Southampton batter Arsenal 4-0, Wenger insists: ‘the first three shouldn’t have counted’

Arsene Wenger believes referee Jon Moss incorrectly allowed three goals in his side’s 4-0 rout at the hands of Southampton, but insisted his Arsenal team’s performance was more of a concern.

Arsenal began Saturday’s match well but simply fell apart after Southampton’s opening goal, scored with a 30-yard shot by Cuco Martina on his first Premier League start.

Wenger believed that the goal should not have stood, nor the second, nor the third.

But he was more concerned that his players had not stood up to the physical challenge of the Saints, particularly Shane Long, who scored the second and fourth goals at St Mary’s.

“Southampton made the game very physical and we lost too may challenges and that explains why we lost,” said Wenger.

“But we were unlucky with the decisions of the referee. The first goal was offside, the second a foul and the third was a goal kick.