It seemed rather fanciful, during lockdown, when Arsenal’s directors offered a bonus for Champions League qualification in return for wage cuts. And there is a reason no Arsenal player should be adding to his Ferrari collection just yet.
It came here, in a game Arsenal should have won, but contrived to give away in the final 20 minutes. They were leading, not cruising, but certainly on top. Mikel Arteta made a double substitution and, three minutes later, Arsenal went down to ten men.
Still, they led. All they had to do was shore up, defend in banks, close the game out.