Back in December, Arsenal faced Southampton in the midst of a bleak midwinter. Mikel Arteta’s side were in a hole but with a 1-1 draw, they stopped a run of three straight defeats and ended a 797-minute wait for a Premier League goal from open play.
Arteta suggested it could mark the start of an upturn. Arsenal lost their next two games but perhaps the roots of their recent recovery can be traced to that night.
Any lasting impact of this Cup defeat should become obvious rather more quickly. On Tuesday night, the sides meet for the third time in less than six weeks.