The big decisions Arteta needed to make yesterday surrounded what to do with some of the youngsters who had perhaps looked a little out of their depth at times last weekend at Liverpool and before a ball had even been kicked I saw plenty of people split over what to do with the starting line up. Do you keep faith in those young players and show them that you acknowledge the good work they’ve done so far? Or do you show that there is a meritocracy at the club and that you only keep your place if you perform to the highest standard?

To be honest with you I was happy either way because from what you hear about the squad it feels like there is a little more togetherness about them right now. It’s heartening to hear but I think it means that whatever Arteta decided about yesterday’s starters, the plan would be embraced by the whole squad and that we picked up three points again yesterday, suggests that indeed it worked.

So Arteta went with the ‘keep the faith’ option and it is fair to say that it worked because the two main question marks were Nuno and Sambi and I thought both were excellent yesterday. Nuno was an athletic force of nature going forward and looked every bit the player  who belongs in this team. He powered forward, we gave us width, but he also drove inside, which meant that defenders couldn’t just show him on the outside because it was obvious that he could also drive in field too. Now, perhaps as an opposition manager you might want him driving in field a bit more if he’s going to have shooting boots like he did yesterday (dreadfully wayward!), but it creates an element on chaos and insecurity in your opponents and I thought our left back delivered that yesterday.

In midfield Sambi ran the show, which is interesting given that Partey is meant to be the main man. But Thomas Partey was quiet all afternoon and I didn’t think he had a particularly great game if I’m honest. I don’t know if he’s still carrying a knock or not but he looked a shadow of the elite player we are all hoping to see. Instead it was his midfield partner that shone and I think Sambi needed a performance like that. We don’t want him turning in to a shrinking violet and with the performance he put in yesterday it showed that he’s put his Anfield second half shocker behind him. Arteta’s plan worked and hopefully the players go in to the game against United on Thursday with a bit more confidence and belief about them. They are going to need it because there absolutely will be a new manager bounce when Ragnick is announced as interim United manager.

I think there was a little bit of new manager bounce about Newcastle’s performance yesterday too, to be fair, because as the first half unfolded it was clear that they were setting up in a low block, a compact unit with three at the back and wing backs who tucked in very deep. And not for the first time in Arteta’s reign did we see an Arsenal team that really struggled to create chances. In the first half we had 12 shots but only two on target. Our off target shots were ones that were from outside of the box, with a couple of close calls in the shape of Saka sliding in at the back post and Aubameyang inexplicably hitting the post from inside the six yard box. The talk of the last week or so has been about how we don’t create enough big chances and although we had three in the first half yesterday, then another two in the second, it did feel as though we had to do a lot of huffing and puffing before Bukayo Saka put us ahead. And it was a bit of quality from he, ESR and Nuno all combining that did it. It was up my end and in by my corner and whilst I was pleased to see such a good move, I couldn’t tell straight away if it was offside and then VAR would rule it out, so my celebration was muted. But when it was obvious he was onside I breathed a sigh of relief and the chances started to come. Including ten minutes later, when the game was effectively put to bed. The ball from Tomiyasu was excellent, the run by Martinelli was grand, but the finish from the Brazilian was exquisite. That technique of deftly lifting the ball past Dubravka in a one-touch movement was real class and deserved to give us the three points alone. You have to feel for Martinelli because when you see play like that you wonder how he hasn’t been given as many minutes but when you’ve had Saka and Smith Rowe who have had those wide forward positions locked down for a few weeks now, it’s difficult to keep either of them out. I thought Gabby played a very important role yesterday and the fact he came on for Saka when the Englishman was injured tells you a lot, because most of us might have expected Pepe to get a look in.

But perhaps there is an opening for Martinelli now? If Saka – who Arteta said came off with a muscular injury – isn’t available for United, then Arteta needs to have a think about how he sets his team up. He could drift Odegaard out wide right but I’m not sure it suits him as well as playing centrally. The other option is Pepe but he seems to be in the cold right now and so I wonder if that goal and cameo will give Martinelli the opportunity he is looking for to get on to that team sheet on Thursday if Bukayo isn’t available?

Whatever the situation, at least we have options and in Martinelli we’ll have a player full of confidence if he’s given the opportunity. We will need that on Thursday because there’s no way United will be as bad as Newcastle were yesterday.

So it’s onwards and upwards. We’re level on points with West Ham who play Man City today and if City win that then we stay level on points with them, albeit with our negative goal difference still acting as a millstone around our necks. Hopefully we can creep in to the positives soon.

Catch you all tomorrow for some more ramblings. Have a good one.