It was one of those days when Arsenal might have played for another 90 minutes and failed to score. It was so deeply frustrating for Mikel Arteta and the home support. The sting in the tail, however, would devastate them, sparking boos at full-time and the sense that the club have stumbled into a mini-crisis.
Liverpool’s joy knew no bounds. There had been the sense that this FA Cup tie was more important for Arsenal, given the form that they had taken into it – three Premier League defeats in five. The need for them to recover momentum was greater. Liverpool, sitting pretty at the top of the table, had the security of their shot at Carabao Cup glory; they face Fulham in their semi-final first leg at Anfield on Wednesday.