Jose Mourinho is certainly in no doubt. He famously attributed Luis Garcia’s decisive goal in their Champions League semi-final of 2005 to “the Anfield Road stands” and has always seemed to hold a particular respect and wariness for how The Kop can transform 11 opponents in red.

The whole concept of home advantage has by contrast seemed always to puzzle Wenger - “the football pitch is almost the same size everywhere” - but, on what was his last really big night at the Emirates as Arsenal manager, perhaps he now believes.

From the moment both teams emerged to a light show and 60,000 red and silver flags, it became clear that the noise and unconditional support for Arsenal would perhaps be greater than ever before in Wenger’s entire post-Highbury reign.

The difference from Sunday’s forgettable 4-1 win against West Ham United was like going straight from day four of a drawn County Championship cricket match to the cliff-hanger last over of an Indian Premier League final.

It surely had an impact on Wenger’s team. And perhaps even the referee, even if Clement Turpin’s decisions to dismiss both Sime Vrsaljko and Diego Simeone were entirely justifiable.