After Kevin de Bruyne had expertly coaxed home yet another goal against Arsenal, those in red jerseys, almost to a man, hurriedly made their way over to Takehiro Tomiyasu.
In turns, they gave him a pat, a shake of encouragement, a hug, or whatever gesture they felt appropriate. The Japanese defender’s mistake - an ill-advised, underhit backpass - was the sort of error that, not so long ago, would have been met with a mixture of derision and anger by the easily-displeased Emirates congregation.
And what did they do on this occasion? They broke into song in support of Tomiyasu, even though many of them probably disagreed with his selection in the first place. And for now, that is one of Mikel Arteta’s most significant triumphs - he has created a sense of unity in these parts that has long been notable by its absence.
