Yesterday’s game against Villa was already perceived as a highly significant one, even before Chelsea had dropped two further points against Birmingham on Boxing Day. Martin O’Neill’s team have proved very mean defensively and taken some notable scalps already this term. Many fancy them to finish in the top four.

Arsenal have stuttered of late, never defeated Villa at the new stadium and there are serious questions about the depth of the squad, and – at times – a perceived lack of heart. Do they have what it takes to seriously challenge for the honours when the margins for error begin to disappear and it’s time to step up to the plate?

Maybe it is just perception, but there has been a feeling in recent years that when opponents have – through results elsewhere – offered Arsenal the opportunity to make up ground, points wise, the team have largely failed to capitalise. Not yesterday, and there are the hints of optimism that Wenger can pull off the grand miracle and deliver the title on a shoestring transfer budget. How refreshing it would be if the man would actually choose to improve the odds with a couple of quality incomings in January, but that discussion’s been had too many times to bear repetition here.

Anyway, Chelsea’s draw and the fact they will lose four members of their squad (albeit only two guaranteed starters) have shown that there is a vulnerability at the Bridge that could be exploited, and a home win for the Gunners yesterday was absolutely key with a view to mounting a credible challenge for the rest of the season.

After 25 minutes, I thought, ‘this is a one goal game’, so tight was the play. Some half chances were created by both teams, but the only one of note was fluffed by Eduardo. Villa looked organised and hard working, typical traits of the line-ups Martin O’Neill has fielded since he took over. The nil-nil at the interval was no surprise. When Denilson was replaced by Fabregas after 55 minutes he went straight down the tunnel, suggesting an injury, although as I avoid reading too much about matches before writing about them, I haven’t had the chance to check.

Fabregas put in a 30 minute stint before limping off injured himself and there is no question of his importance to the team after his cameo performance. He brought a fluidity and cutting edge that the game demanded and – in half an hour – put in a man of the match performance. That Arsenal ran out 3-0 winners (granted the third was in injury time when the game was dead) may have been a huge surprise, yet it told us everything about the captain’s importance to the team, and the reason covetous Spanish eyes are constantly being linked with the number four.

So as Chelsea must do without Essien and Drogba, Arsenal must struggle through without Fabregas and Van Persie. So much for the perceived advantage of January. And that’s without considering Alex Song’s absence. The odds don’t get any easier, although there’s the money for a couple of £12 million players once the New Year’s Eve hangovers kick in.

Portsmouth, Bolton (twice) and Everton lay on the horizon before the sequence of games against Villa and the other members of the ‘big four’. No wonder Wenger fielded such a weak side in the Carling Cup quarter-final. He wants no distractions, and the FA Cup might be abandoned in similar fashion next Sunday. League-wise, Arsenal need to do everything they can to get 12 points out of 12 going into the more difficult challenges, where they can afford to drop some points, as they inevitably will.

It would be an exaggeration to say the team is down to the bare bones, but the fear is that too many key players are missing. If Arsenal are to succeed in the Premier League this season, three things need to happen. Fabregas must recover sooner, rather than later. The deputies and occasionals must step up to the plate and perform at the level they are capable of when called upon – I’m talking about the likes of Denilson, Diaby, Ramsey and Traore here. Although with youth, inconsistency is an inevitability, so this is a bit like challenging Man Utd and Chelsea to a game of Russian roulette and agreeing to have more bullets in Arsenal’s gun. Third and final, action is required in the January transfer window.

It suddenly feels like every game is a huge one now, as surely the teams around Arsenal that are dropping points will regain their own consistency and put together runs themselves. Wenger’s team now have 13 points from 15 since the Chelsea debacle. They’ve played appallingly and brilliantly – often in the same 90 minutes. The mini-momentum they have created, even without a recognised centre-forward, has to continue. Consistency has to become a habit, as do the recent clean sheets. The odds are still not good, and I wouldn’t be rushing down the bookies to put money on an Arsenal title anytime soon. But let’s just go with the cliché and take each game as it comes and see where the team end up. May is a long, long, way away.

Oh, and Cesc. Get well soon. Please.