2-1 to the home side. The same result – but with a world of difference in Arsenal’s performance. Whether Stoke will be the final experience of its kind this season only time will tell, but for Arsenal the cliché of the next game being the only one that matters could not have been truer for the visit of Manchester United.

Naturally, it helped that the visitors came to play football and concentrate as much on their own ability to create as prevent their opponents from doing so. Even so, Arsenal played with the kind of character, commitment and attitude that has not been seen often enough this season, and given that at times Niklas Bendtner was the only outlet, the victory was all the more remarkable.

Alex Ferguson was magnanimous in defeat, and with his not replacing Carlos Queiroz and talking with less bitterness after a defeat by Arsenal, I get the feeling we are seeing his final season at Old Trafford. He’ll have a shot at retaining the Champions League, but I sense the passion for the game has begun to drain from the man.

Fair play to him though. Neutrals felt Arsenal deserved the victory. Certainly, they had more injury problems, but those that did make it off the treatment table were key – Gallas, Sagna and Walcott all made important contributions. However, ultimately, they got a bit lucky with United’s inability to finish the chances they created. Good. It’s about time the Gunners profited from the fickle finger of fortune. Let’s have lucky Arsenal back – haven’t heard that for too long (although I’ll ignore the denial of that stonebonk penalty)

It’s difficult to draw any conclusions from the game as it was so untypical. Two attacking teams going at each other. What can be said is that the defence can be focussed when it needs to. There seemed little switching off and even a top drawer defence is never going to prevent United creating chances. I only wish the team could play to this level week-in week-out, but that isn’t reality.

What should be taken out of the game is confidence that the side – even if they are relatively young – are capable of beating any other team. It’s going out there and doing it consistently which is the challenge Wenger’s players face. At times, it was fantasy football, but there are too many matches where the right to express it has to be earned. And battles have to be fought in the first instance to do that. Has Arsene Wenger assembled a squad of players that are prepared to scrap? The evidence of this season’s inconsistency suggests no.

At this stage, we can only rely on the optimistic hope that the United match will provide some kind of springboard for the side. The Wigan visit on Tuesday is largely an irrelevance as I don’t think any of those that started on Saturday will play, with the possible exception of Bendtner. But Villa’s visit next weekend is followed by trips to Manchester City and Chelsea. Two of these sides are suffering a min-slump and need to be beaten, giving the team further belief for the match at Stamford Bridge.

In truth, it’s difficult to see past Chelsea as champions elect even at this stage of the campaign, but Arsenal’s players have the opportunity to make myself and thousands of other Gooners eat our words. So many have been online to express their lack of confidence in the way the team has performed this season, but by winning their next three league matches they put themselves back in contention for the title. It’s a big ask, but if they are indeed made of the right stuff, they are capable. Some giant performances will be needed at the Bridge, but I don’t expect to see them unless six further points have been collected by then.

As ever, we live in eternal hope that Arsene knows something the rest of us are struggling to see.

PS – Memo to coaching staff at London Colney. Could someone try placing a rocket up Alex Song’s posterior to see if he plays with slightly more dynamism when sent into the midfield. For the kind of money I suspect he is on, I like to see signs of occasional movement. The collective slump in home fans’ hearts when the number 17 replaced Theo Walcott sunk the stadium by about 3 inches.