Arsenal - 2 Southampton - 2: One point is all Robin van Persie earned for Arsenal with his fine finish deep in stoppage-time but the significance of that strike could prove much greater.

Without the substitute's intervention even the toughest minds in Arsene Wenger's squad would have been sorely tested. As the manager admitted, his players were in danger of slipping into a "confidence crisis".

Arsenal will hardly rejoice at this result or performance, and need to show at home to Panathinaikos tomorrow that this was an aberration. They will know, though, that psychologically it could have been worse. Coming from 2-1 down not only made the point feel worth celebrating but, more importantly, avoided a second straight defeat and the loss of top spot to Chelsea.

Wenger's players will never have taken seriously the suggestions two weeks ago that the title was all but theirs after Chelsea lost at Manchester City. But it would have been a mighty blow for them to see the five-point lead they held then evaporate into deficit. They retain the lead, albeit on goal difference.

Arsenal are too sensible, though, to draw only positives from Saturday. They were poor not only in their passing and defending of set-pieces but in some of their finishing.

Wenger rightly paid tribute to Southampton but mainly put the problems down to the shock and disappointment of defeat at Old Trafford. The attention paid to the flying food and tunnel business may also have left scars. "The anxiety level was a bit higher," he said.

Upcoming games, starting with Panathinaikos, will show whether Arsenal are in a deeper malaise. The team, by their high standards, have not played well for three matches, which began with a draw at Panathinaikos.

Though they have scored four times in that period, they have not attacked with their usual panache. They have conceded five soft goals, three from set-pieces after the headers that Rory Delap got from Neil McCann deliveries here.

To dwell too much on Arsenal's deficiencies would be unfair on Southampton, though. They were well organised, dropped a striker into midfield when defending and were quick to close down. Delap and Paul Telfer ran tirelessly in central midfield, the wide players defended well and Antti Niemi made a couple of sharp saves.

Yet Arsenal, by Wenger's admission, were "laboured". Passes were misplaced, Patrick Vieira and Edu failing to dictate the tempo. Cesc Fabregas came on to provide a greater flow and set up van Persie.

Arsenal still ought to have won. Thierry Henry carried their most consistent threat, scoring from Dennis Bergkamp's excellent pass and setting up chances that Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires wasted. He also hit a post from a first-half penalty.

That seemed of little relevance until Delap, from rare Southampton chances, exploited poor marking to head in a corner and then a free-kick, with Vieira at least partly at fault both times. "It looked like we had glue on our boots," Wenger said.

Arsenal's response brought van Persie's turn and fierce shot. An even later chance was wasted but Wenger preferred to dwell on the equaliser. "It was a turning point for my team," said the manager.