From top to fourth and an ominous nine point gap to Chelsea in the space of just eight days. Arsenal’s horrible past week is at the very least a reminder of how momentum can shift rapidly in the Premier League but also again brings something potentially far more momentous into view.

The futures of the club’s three highest profile individuals remain deeply uncertain beyond the end of the season and, while money will certainly form some part of discussions, the on-field influence is likely to be greater.

Of his own situation and extending his contract into the 2017-18 season, manager Arsène Wenger has been clear that the decision will be taken at the end of this current season and will rest primarily on an assessment of his performance.

“That will be the decisive factor: have I done well? Have we achieved what I want to achieve with this team?" he said. The inference has always been that success equals a new contract. Similarly, Wenger believes that football rather than financial motivations will shape the decisions of Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez. “Do the club meet their needs on the football front and if 'yes' then a Premier League club can find an agreement with the players,” he said.