SAINTS manager Ruben Selles admitted “disappointment because of the two points dropped” but could not hide his pride after the 3-3 draw at Arsenal.

The Spaniard made some big calls over the course of the 105 minutes of football at Emirates Stadium, which saw the home side steal a late point.

Charly Alcaraz and Theo Walcott had opened the scoring for the visitors while goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Duje Caleta-Car saw a two-goal lead in the closing stages.

But Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka – with Saints operating in a five-back defence for the entire second half – netted in the final three minutes of regulation time to level.

READ MORE: 'Will probably determine' - Walcott accepts significance of upcoming Bournemouth game

It kept alive Arsenal’s title hopes ahead of their meeting with Manchester City next week, while Saints missed the chance to climb off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Daily Echo: Saints and Jan Bednarek during their 3-3 draw with Arsenal.

“I feel disappointment because of the two points we dropped at the end but very proud of the effort and the togetherness that the boys showed,” Selles admitted, after the match.

“Sometimes it can feel like a disappointment because of the result but I think we need to go out of the stadium with our chests out. We put in a good performance.

“We know what we need to do, we know the solutions in every single moment and they showed that they want to play and they want to fight for each other. That’s why when we went to our fans because they were very proud of us.”

He added: “I think it feels like two points dropped because I think we were staying with our plan, we were doing what we wanted to do.

“And I think it’s a double feeling. The feeling of dropping two points that will help us a lot but the feeling that we can do it against any opponent.”

It was another positive result against ‘big six’ clubs after wins versus Chelsea and draws with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United already this campaign.

Saints now need to show the same fight against the so-called lesser teams, if they are to make up the points deficit and survive with just six fixtures left to play.

“I think the desire is there,” Selles insisted. “What we need to find is solutions that put us in the best position and I think we are getting there.

“I think the performances we’ve had in big parts of the game have been good performances in the last two but if we had the same behaviours as we had today with the finishing action then we would be talking about something different today.”

Up next for Saints is AFC Bournemouth – who have managed to race nine points clear of Saints with this weekend’s game still in hand for them. Saints beat the Cherries away in October.

“We always talk about habits. And our habit is to review the game, talk to the players, have a good recovery, have a good day off, and then coming in the third day we will prepare for the next game,” Selles said, looking ahead to the visit of the Cherries.

“They will have the time for themselves and then we just go again. It’s just about habits and how we work, there’s nothing new in the season, it’s just about let’s go and take the very best from today for the next game.

“My assessment is that I want to be fighting for survival until the last day and then making it on the last day - or hopefully before. That’s my assessment.”