Two goals from central defenders, both following corners, and an overall performance that was unconvincing. Mikel Arteta did not care. To the Arsenal manager it was not about how the victory came or in what kind of style. It was simply about the result.
Arsenal could feel the pressure, with Tottenham having beaten Leicester earlier in the day to jump above them into fourth place. Arteta’s team had to react and they did so, keeping the dream alive of a first Champions League qualification since 2016. The north London derby at Spurs’ stadium on 12 May looks increasingly like a potential blockbuster.
