Mikel Arteta’s side wobbled in the 2-0 loss to Aston Villa in their last home league game, the pressure, tension and anticipation of going into that match having just seen Liverpool lose against Crystal Palace at Anfield earlier seemingly overcoming them.
And the subsequent timid Champions League quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich raised the spectre that Arsenal were about to “choke” in the manner that agonisingly consumed them at the final fences of last season’s Premier League race.
The response, a battling win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday followed by this champagne show in front of their own celebrating fans, should put to bed any suggestions that it could be a lack of character that will undermine Arsenal in the run-in.
And to make the night even better for Arteta, it was one of his summer signings that has been the subject of so much scrutiny who underlined his growing status as something of a talisman – a player bought from this humbled, dysfunctional Chelsea.
