Arsenal are back as a force in British football.
The notion was confirmed eight minutes from time when Alexandre Lacazette, a player at the hub of the nascent re-emergence of this club, span back away from the Liverpool goal with the ball at his feet, turned and unfurled a shot which arced into the far, right corner of the net. But it had been evident long since. The people knew. The stadium bounced: a phenomenon which has been as rare here as 82nd minute equalisers in recent years.
It helped that a little of the light was again dimmed in Liverpool, who allowed Arsenal 62 per cent of possession. The home side deconstructed that high intensity philosophy of Liverpool's, dominating a midfield where Jordan Henderson was sorely missed. Emery, as a yardstick of how far and how fast Arsenal are travelling. 'Now is the time for us to write new history,' he wrote in his programme notes... We want to create a new future here. We are at the beginning.' He did not add much in his faltering, almost unfathomable English, on Saturday night but the touchline told the story.
