Sokratis was a surprise choice at right back in the FA Cup third round win over Leeds early in Mikel Arteta's tenure, and the head coach went for the same formula here, preferring not to break up the central defensive partnership of David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi, who had started each of the last four league games.
While Sokratis is never going to offer the same attacking threat on the overlap that Bukayo Saka does on the opposite flank, his experience was invaluable in helping to weather the hosts' early storm.
He more than played his part in our third successive clean sheet, and even hit the bar with a late header.