Richard Buxton: Winning home debut for 'Klopp of the Alps'

If nothing else, Juergen Klopp is a highly reliable judge of character.

The Liverpool manager forecast that Southampton were in a "win-win situation" in appointing Ralph Hasenhuettl.

How true that is already proving to be for the English Premier League's struggling Saints.

Ending Arsenal's 22-match unbeaten run with a thrilling 3-2 win last night was no mean feat, but still a richly deserved one as the Saints pressed and pummelled Unai Emery's side.

Less than 250km separate Klopp's native Black Forest from Switzerland's signature terrain, but it is easy to see why Hasenhuettl was hailed as the Alps' equivalent to his German counterpart.

Even occupying positions at polar opposites of the table, similarities between the pair are striking. Both coaches gave Bayern Munich a genuine run for their money in the Bundesliga, and early evidence suggests those qualities are equally transferable to England.

English Premier
League

SOUTHAMPTON	ARSENAL
3	2

Last night, in his first home match in charge of the Saints, Hasenhuettl guided them to their first EPL victory at the St Mary's since April.

The Gunners' defeat should prompt a reawakening for some, not least Mesut Oezil.

Whatever the playmaker thought he knew, and had grown accustomed, no longer reflects the harsh reality.

He is currently in a real-life version of "Trading Places" - except there appears to be zero prospect of a belated turning of the tables.

It might be time for the ex-Germany international to take stock of his current predicament before it is too late.

In his absence, Emery's side twice overturned a deficit and appeared more capable on the back foot than during his forgettable late 20-minute cameo.

Misguidedly, however, former talisman Oezil still believes that the previous rules of autonomy still apply.

Under Arsene Wenger, he was allowed to drift aimlessly through the team as he pleased while the beleaguered Frenchman battled in vain to salvage his tenure at the Emirates Stadium.

BURNT

But Emery has previously been burnt by a star player attempting to undermine his authority, after Neymar was allowed to rule the roost at Paris Saint-Germain.

He did not think twice about marginalising off-field stalwarts from the Wenger era; Steve Bould's standing as an Arsenal legend and right-hand man of the Spaniard's predecessor counted for precious little as he was forced into a demotion of joint-assistant head coach.

Others have been forced to make a break with complacency to save their long-term futures. Be it in north London or further afield, Aaron Ramsey is currently facing that uphill challenge.

A contract impasse shows no signs of being reopened in spite of the Wales midfielder's recent upturn in form. He has been forced to roll with the uncertainty of his current situation.

By his own admission, Emery sought to shake things up in efforts to sharpen, and even refocus, minds at the Emirates.

Oezil steadfastly refuses to adjust his approach accordingly.

A premature retirement from international football this summer, citing racism in his decision to call time on Die Mannschaft, should have prepared him for a reawakening at Arsenal.

It is yet to be forthcoming from the 30-year-old while Emery has refused to sugarcoat Oezil's inadequacy issues.

He was not equipped to handle the physicality of last month's trip to Bournemouth, nor capable of handling the intensity of a North London Derby with Tottenham Hotspur.

Only five times has he completed a full game from 13 appearances in all competitions.

That Emery again resisted the temptation to call on Oezil with his side trailing at half-time, instead sending on Alexandre Lacazette to help stem the tide, speaks for volumes of his downfall.

If he does not finally begin to shape up, Oezil could soon find himself being shipped out.

SOUTHAMPTON:

McCarthy, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Yoshida, Valery, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Targett, Redmond (Long 63), Armstrong, Ings (Austin 71)

ARSENAL:

Leno, Bellerin (Lacazette 46), Lichtsteiner (Maitland-Niles 74), Koscielny, Monreal, Torreira, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Iwobi (Oezil 70)