Arsenal lost for the third time in a row in the Premier League, losing 1-0 against St Mary's to drop to sixth place in the table
When you thought things couldn't get much worse...
Arsenal came at Southampton on Saturday in what appeared to be the last chance saloon in the race for the top four after two consecutive defeats in the Premier League.
Tottenham's shock defeat at home to Brighton in the midday kick-off, however, has thrown the door open for Mikel Arteta's team to qualify for the Champions League once more.
With time running out, it was a risk they couldn't afford to pass up.
Instead, they fluffed their lines once more.
Although the performances against Crystal Palace and Brighton were slightly better, Arsenal presently appears to be a team devoid of quality and ideas
They dominated possession at St Mary's but were unable to recover after Jan Bednarek gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster made a string of saves, including two amazing saves to keep Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe out.
But, with so much on the line and Spurs having messed up, Arsenal simply could not deliver.
This was their chance to reclaim their place in the game, but instead they fell further apart.
They dominated possession at St Mary's but were unable to recover after Jan Bednarek gave the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time.
With Southampton goalkeeper Fraser on the pitch, they had their opportunities.
Arteta's team has now lost four of their previous five Premier League games, with only two goals scored in the process.
They have surrendered in the last weeks of the season and may miss out on Europa League status if they do not turn things around immediately.
Following their win over Norwich, they have dropped to sixth place in the table, with Manchester United going ahead of them.
If West Ham beat Burnley on Sunday, they might finish the weekend in seventh place.
Arteta's squad has had a dreadful few weeks, and they now have games against Chelsea and Manchester United in the next seven days.
They'll need to win at least one of those to keep any remaining chances alive - but on current indications, it is highly unlikely.
Following the catastrophe against Brighton last weekend, Arteta reintroduced Nuno Tavares at left-back and Granit Xhaka to the midfield.
Arsenal's performance improved dramatically as a result of the alteration, but they still lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
Eddie Nketiah received a rare start as the central striker because to Alexandre Lacazette's absence due to Covid, and his outstanding play helped set up a wonderful chance for Saka midway through the first half.
After being found by Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal's top scorer appeared set to score, but Forster miraculously stretched out an arm and knocked the England international's shot over from point blank range.
That became a recurring theme, with Forster presenting Arsenal with an impassable barrier
After Bednarek gave the hosts a lead to defend shortly before half-time, Forster made a wonderful save to deny Smith Rowe and Xhaka, while Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli both shot wide from good positions.
The sight of an Arsenal player standing in front of goal with his head in his hands has become all too often.
The visitors had scored 23 goals by the time the final whistle blew at St Mary's, with 19 of them coming in the second half.
They were unable to convert those chances into goals, as they have been for much of the season.
Arsenal's lack of firepower was always going to be a problem this season, especially when they allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go in January without replacing him.
And that is how things are currently unfolding.
Arsenal have been found wanting at a time of the season when you have to take chances.
In their last three games, they've only scored once, and that came through a deflection.
Arsenal has only scored twice in their past 73 shots on goal.
That's not good enough, and it's given them a mountain to climb in the last weeks of the campaign.
A season that promised so much is now in risk of collapsing completely, and Arteta appears powerless to stop it.
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