Around 10 minutes of normal time remained when the outstanding Martin Ødegaard and the almost equally impressive Gabriel Martinelli were withdrawn.
Mikel Arteta evidently judged Arsenal’s 2-0 lead sufficiently secure to protect his team’s two principal game-changers here, resting their legs for the three vital games ahead.
Manchester City may be a point ahead at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand but Arteta’s side are not about to surrender their title challenge just yet – and certainly not after coming through a significant test of character and courage on…
