To put the scale of this shock result into some sort of context, Arsenal had been able to score four goals in their previous 10 Premier League matches – a sequence that had brought them five points. It had the club mired in their worst start to a season since 1974-75 and the manager, Mikel Arteta, in crisis. One of the big pre-match questions asked whether Arsenal were in a relegation battle.
This was a restorative result and performance, with Arteta’s bold team selection returning a rich dividend. He gave first league appearances of the season to Pablo Marí and Emile Smith Rowe and a first start in the competition this time out to Gabriel Martinelli. Smith Rowe emerged with honours, driving from his No 10 role.
