Wenger started off with an unexpected line-up which in the end proved efficient. Even if the Frenchman suggested he will be starting the match with both Lucas Perez and Mustafi, no one expected them to actually be on the pitch or stay for as long as they did for that matter. It seems like Mustafi’s experience and excellent physical state allowed him to play the whole 90 minutes though. Perez was replaced by Giroud later on in the game and failed to impress. He did show quality in his game and provided a small glimpse of what he is actually capable of.  Both newcomers have excuses as even Wenger admitted they are not yet ready to handle the Premier League at their best but they still contributed to a 2-1 Arsenal win. No matter what anyone says, the UK is the hardest place to play.

Aside from the two debutants, Arsenal also tried to surprise Southampton by using Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left instead of Sanchez. The Chilean was sent on the pitch eventually but had no major impact on the game. Cazorla’s attitude and ability to handle things were probably the best things you could see during the game. It`s incredible how the Spaniard handles himself after all the injuries and after going over the 30-year-old milestone.

The biggest questions that remain after this game is if Perez and Mustafi were the right acquisitions to make. While both seem to have immense potential, there’s no telling how things will go down. For now, and after seeing both perform, Mustafi looks like a safe bet. Perez on the other hand, knows a thing or two about football and has a lot of skill. Unfortunately, he might find it very hard to play as good as he played in Spain now that his adversaries are Chelsea, United, Liverpool, City and Tottenham. According to The Guardian, Perez might have missed his chance to become a team regular already as he was replaced quite early in the game. It`s just speculation as it is always hard to have a player become integrated with the lot after just a couple of days in training with the rest of the team.