The last time we were here, on Tuesday night, Arsenal enjoyed surely the finest occasion in Emirates Stadium history. The 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final will live forever; the return is eagerly awaited on Wednesday.
It was always likely to be lower-key here, Mikel Arteta making five changes to his team and watching them labour. The blood and thunder of the Madrid tie was missing; the do-or-die imperatives. It was a slog for Arsenal and as the hour mark approached, Arteta knew he had to do something. He readied three stellar substitutes – Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka.
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