Point To Prove

The roar inside St Mary's was deafening—but not from the home crowd.

It was the travelling Arsenal faithful who had turned the south coast into a north London outpost, their chants spilling into the sky, echoing off the red-seated stands, while the home supporters sat stunned and hollow-eyed behind their flags and foam hands.

On the digital scoreboard, the numbers glared like a wound.

SOU 0 – 3 ARS

The camera panned across the Southampton players trudging toward the tunnel, heads bowed, jerseys already streaked with sweat and frustration.

On the opposite end, Arsenal moved like men who knew they had done a job already—but whose standards wouldn't let them rest yet.

The match had been only 45 minutes old, and yet Izan Hernandez had already laced it with his fingerprints.

Three assists. Three different styles. One conductor.

The first had come just after the ninth minute.