Arsenal hadn’t tasted victory in the league since 5 October, giving Saturday a must-win feel. Martin Odegaard missed three of those four winless matches and what that streak proved more than anything else was that he is the most irreplaceable player in Arteta’s squad.

Your team has hit a creative rut that coincided with the absence of your primary playmaker? Get him back and all your problems evaporate. So yes, the semi-frequent leaden-footed attacking, sterile possession and clumsy decision-making that reared its unfamiliar head at Arsenal over the last two months was nothing more than a team unable to cope without Martin Odegaard.

Chemistry or telepathy, call it what you want, but what cannot be disputed is that the understanding between Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard holds the key to Arsenal’s title charge. The pair made that abundantly clear on Saturday as they combined to devastating effect in the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.