Life as a questioned £65m signing cannot have been easy for Kai Havertz.
With Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus fit to return to the starting XI, Havertz was dropped to the bench and forced to watch as the Gunners laboured against a resolute Brentford defence.
However, when summoned in the final stages, he found a priceless goal to seal a win that moved them top of the Premier League table.
"It sends a statement out to Manchester City and Liverpool," former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"When you have challenges and you have to overcome them, it makes the moments much more," said boss Mikel Arteta, who brought up 200 games in charge of the Gunners.