Fraser Forster heroics leave Arsenal boss Wenger raging

Arsenal 0 Southampton 0.

A miserable night for Arsene Wenger culminated in what The Sun describes as a "tunnel bust-up with Southampton boss Ronald Koeman".

The Nutty Professor went nuts at the end of a 90 minutes that saw his side slip further behind in the title race and fall behind local rivals Spurs in the table. According to the Sun, Wenger confronted referee Lee Mason in the aftermath of the goalless draw and yelled: "It's always the same with you."

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The spat was seen by Koeman, who reportedly intervened and told Wenger: "No, it's always the same with you!"

That was a reference to the Frenchman's strop in the wake of Arsenal's 4-0 defeat at Southampton on Boxing Day when he heaped the blame for their loss on the referee.

The Sun says Koeman then told Wenger a few home truths, namely that "your team had ten chances to score and couldn't take any of them so why have a go at the officials?"

The Dutchman was right. Arsenal should have buried the Saints given the openings they created but they were up against a goalkeeper at the top of this game, and time and again an inspired Fraser Forster denied the hosts. And once he'd calmed down, Wenger admitted as much, telling reporters in the post-match press conference: "Our finishing is very bad at the moment and we can't be happy with that. We missed many chances that we usually take. We had 22 shots on target tonight but now we have gone three [league] games without a goal and that is what is maximum frustrating."

Admitting Forster was "brilliant tonight", Wenger mocked suggestions that he was too blame for failing to sign a quality striker in either of the last two transfer windows: "If you know of any world-class striker who could strengthen our team, you should have told me before the transfer window closed," he told the press pack.

"But they don't walk in the street and say 'please come and sign me'. They are all under contracts at big clubs and we already have many players here who have shown they can score goals."

Wenger's mood was only darkened by the results elsewhere. "We know that Leicester, Manchester City and Tottenham have all won tonight and it is a dream to think we can catch the others if we do not win our games," he conceded. "We have had a stuttering start to 2016 and we have a difficult programme coming up, especially away from home, so we have to respond quickly."

It's been worse than a stuttering start. Arsenal have failed to win any of their last four Premier League games, taking just three points from a possible 12. As a result they've slipped from first to fourth in the table, five points behind leaders Leicester (who beat Liverpool) and now behind Tottenham on account of their inferior goal difference.

A trip to Bournemouth this weekend could offer Arsenal the chance to get their season back on track but the week after they host Leicester in a match they can't afford to lose if they're serious about winning the title.

"What is terrible is that our performances are not bad," said a clearly concerned Wenger. "That is worrying because with the quality of the performances we had, we didn't take the points and that's very difficult for the players to take as well... We have to look at ourselves and not be satisfied with that."