Theo Walcott has been here before. He was there in 2008 in the infamous match at Birmingham City when Eduardo suffered a horrific leg break at a time when Arsenal were five points clear at the top, with 12 games to play.
Indeed, he scored twice that day before a last-minute penalty equaliser from Birmingham prompted William Gallas’ famous on-pitch, sit-down meltdown which came to symbolise the capitulation of a young team. Arsenal drew the next four games, lost to Chelsea and by the time they won again — away at Bolton — it was late March and the moment for dramatic comebacks had passed.