The future is looking good. Wonderboy Jermaine Pennant started on the right of midfield and developing full-back Ryan Garry started in the left back position.

A lot has been written about Pennant since Arsenal made him the most expensive teenage acquisition in English history, bought for £2m at the age of 17 from Notts County. Pennant had a tough time breaking into the team though, when your competition is Ljungberg and Pires, you're bound to find it difficult.

Ryan Garry is a midfielder who now plays in defence, ala Ashley Cole, who was actually a striker when he started his professional career. Garry is supposedly not even left footed, but is being developed as cover for the left-back slot. Between him, Cole and Juan, I'd say the future of the left flank is looking pretty good.

Only 2 other players have ever scored hat tricks on their debuts, one Ian Wright was amongst them. Pennant now joins that exclusive list.

Pires got the first - a brilliant shot from a tight angle after a shot from Parlour could only be parried by Saints keeper Jones, and Pires tucked in the rebound. Pennant got the second after some great work by Henry. Pires's second goal was a beauty not only for the approach play from Arsenal, but because of the way he controlled the ball and volleyed it into the lower corner of the net.

Pennant scored his second of the evening when Henry's shot hit a Saints defender and the ball rebounded kindly into Pennant's path for a header into an empty net. Pennant completed his hat trick after great play once again from Thierry Henry, shrugging off three Southampton players before laying the perfect through ball into Pennant's path. Premiership debut, hat trick.

The goal of the night came from Robert Pires who also scored a hat trick. At the start of the second half an Arsenal counter attack released Pires who spotted Paul Jones just 6 yards off his line and chipped the big keeper from 30-odd yards. A truly magnificent goal. I hope that shows that he's committed to the Arsenal cause and signs a new deal to keep himself at the club.

It was originally thought that Wrighty scored a hat trick on his Premiership debut, but it would seem that it was actually just his debut, as the Premiership didn't exist then.

However, if that was the case, then Pennant didn't score a hat trick on his debut, because Pennant has played for Arsenal before. And he has played for Arsenal in the Premiership before as well. This was his first start, but not his debut.

Pennant and Pires have broken some records though. There are the first Premiership pair to both score hat tricks in the same match .. for the same team!

The other player to score on his debut was Alan Shearer against Arsenal, playing for ... you guessed it, Southampton. Ian WWW also scored a hat trick on his debut against Southampton, and Pennant has now scored a hat trick on his first League start against ... Southampton! Here's a list:

Alan Shearer for Southampton v Arsenal, 1988.
Ian Wright for Arsenal v Southampton, 1991.
Jermaine Pennant for Arsenal v Southampton, 2003.

Quite the collection!