It was an unfamiliar looking Mikel Arteta in the last few minutes of Arsenal's defeat by Manchester City.
There were no eye-pulsing, vein-bulging celebrations. Nor were there any furious protests in the direction of either the on-field referee, his assistants or the fourth official. Instead, the Spaniard looked despondent, remaining stationary in his technical area and appearing simply resigned to the fact that his mentor, Pep Guardiola, had got the better of him once again. He can't say he hadn't been warned.
This was the first time that they had entered this particular Premier League encounter on anything like a level footing. In recent years, Arsenal have always been looking up at City, wanting to be competing just like them. Their displays in the first half of this season have suggested they're getting closer. But this was to be no defining, 'coming of age' moment. What actually played out was a remarkable contrast in performance from two touchline technicians famed for their tactical tinkering.
"Biggest game of the season in any top league so far? I think so," declared Cesc Fabregas on social media pre-game and in and around the Emirates it certainly felt that way. The champions and the contenders.
The ex-Arsenal captain's comments came shortly after news broke that Thomas Partey was injured and would be absent, only for the Ghanaian to be seen donning the usual pre-match tracksuit with the rest of the squad. He was even carrying his washbag.
Those early reports were indeed correct and Partey, so vital at the heart of the Gunners' midfield, was as helpless in this contest as his manager. Once again, City proved that when the white hot spotlight of a title showdown is switched on, it is then that they do their best work.
The first-half began with both teams feeling each other out. Given the history between the two managers and Arteta's status as former Guardiola assistant at the Etihad, there were plenty of eyes on the pair even when the real action was on the pitch.
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From the first whistle, it seemed apparent that the Arsenal boss was feeling the strain. Arteta can appear agitated at the best of times on the sidelines, but this was something more, the son of San Sebastian looking like a man carrying all the stress that comes with being in your first title race as manager.
There he was, frantically relaying messages to his players. Throughout the opening minutes he prowled his technical area, back and forth, back and forth, breaking from wearing out the turf only to scream at the fourth official. On a night where his side could go six points clear with a game in hand, Arteta clearly knew how important this game could be.
That's not to say his counterpart didn't, but this is obviously not Guardiola's first rodeo. The City manager was the first of the two to retreat to his seat, clearly content to let his expensively-assembled starting eleven put his pre-match plans into action, withdrawing into discussions with assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell.
A perfect example of their different demeanours during the opening period came while Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was down in his six-yard box receiving treatment. The game had stopped and Arteta saw it as the perfect opportunity to hold an impromptu team-talk. On the other hand, Guardiola left his players out on the pitch. The City stars were left to talk among themselves, while their hosts were busy being given more instructions.
Arteta barely sat in his seat for more than 30 seconds at a time before he was up on the edge of the touchline, barking orders at any players whose attention he could attract.
The opening exchanges were even, before Takehiro Tomiyasu's under-hit backpass in the 24th minute was intercepted by Kevin De Bruyne.
There was not a player on the pitch Arteta would have wanted the ball to fall to less, with the Belgian guiding his effort over Ramsdale and just inside the upright with all the fade, curve and weight of a perfect golf swing.
But to instantly get behind the team has been a theme whenever Arsenal have gone behind at the Emirates this season and this time was no different. Fans cheered, backing their side. Captain Martin Odegaard had words of encouragement for Tomiyasu, as did Arteta at the next break in play, offering pointers to the Japan international on his battle with Jack Grealish.
It worked as well, with Bukayo Saka converting a penalty to draw the hosts level before the break after Ederson's foul on Eddie Nketiah.
Unfortunately for the Emirates faithful, there passionate support didn't quite do the trick in rallying the players and instead Arsenal emerged for the second-half more nervous than the first.
That seemed to be the case on the touchline as well, with Arteta, early in the second half, having a heated exchange with De Bruyne after the Gunners boss tried to kick the ball away and slow the game down at 1-1. The Belgian gave him a shove for his troubles, which left the Spaniard wagging his finger at De Bruyne, before being told to calm down by referee Anthony Taylor.
It failed to do the trick and If Jack Grealish's goal to put City back in front quietened the home crowd, Erling Haaland's 26th of the season silenced them.
The Norwegian's strike to put City 3-1 up in the 82nd minute didn't just put the seal on victory on the pitch, it also appeared to prompt the end of any real belief from Arteta on the touchline. He did his best to push his team forward, to keep working until the bitter end, but even he didn't seem convinced. He knew that, on this night, the game was up.
It didn't go unnoticed either that, at 1-1, Guardiola had ditched his 3-2-2-3 experiment - with Bernardo Silva operating as an auxiliary left-back-cum-holding midfielder - hauling off Riyad Mahrez, bringing in Manuel Akanji and going to a flat back four. That tactical tinkering won the day. The Arsenal boss didn't react with tactical alterations of his own, other than like-for-like changes at right-back and on the left side of his attack.
Arteta clasped hands quickly with Guardiola and members of City's staff at full-time, before making his way onto the field to applaud the home faithful. He won't have failed to miss Guardiola celebrating with his players.
In the post match flash interviews down pitch side and in the media suite where the post-match press conferences take place, the contrast in emotions for Arteta and Guardiola were clear for all to see. Yet, the styles remained remarkably similar.
Both men kept their answers short, sweet and to the point. Arteta strayed into 'frustrated' territory on occasion, particularly when asked about whether a lack of rotation was to blame for the defeat. His blunt 'no', drew a few chuckles from those in attendance.
Guardiola's 'could have been' when asked about a potential red card for Ederson was similar, though in truth the City boss seemed desperate to return to the away dressing room.
In the fall-out of previous wins over Arsenal while his protege was at the helm, Guardiola has been accused of patronising Arteta. It was difficult to take the City boss seriously when he was telling the media how the Gunners boss was 'so so good' after drubbing them 5-0.
This time around, it was much easier to believe him as he conceded he still views Arsenal as being top of the table due to the fact they have a game in hand on his side. Guardiola also insisted that his players had won in spite of him and his tactical tweaks..
Arteta meanwhile belligerently insisted that his side's performance - they dominated possession - has only emboldened his view that his side can be champions. "I have more belief than I had before the game," he told BBC Sport. "With the performance and the level the team put in, we had the feeling we could beat them. Until the second goal we had them.
"But we gave them three goals and the game at the end. Certain errors at this level, you can't make. At the same time, the team put the level very high. The difference was in the boxes, they had three chances and they put them away. We had chances and we didn't put them away."
He believes that there is still a 'marathon' awaiting both teams with plenty of football still to be played. He is correct, but as City overtake Arsenal for the first time since November, some of the Gunners faithful may begin to fear the momentum has shifted.
The Arsenal manager knows from experience how when City start to get a grip on the title race, they often make it count.
