Arsenal are very fortunate to have a head coach with Unai Emery’s brains, dignity and decisiveness. Given the myriad issues at the Emirates Stadium, ranging from an absentee owner, confusion in the executive and technical structure, an imbalanced, under-resourced squad and a colossal fan base that, in parts, is demanding to the point of deafening, Emery’s calmness, sense of purpose and direction are even more important.

The 47-year-old from Spain, who took over from Arsène Wenger last May, is the man with the plan, and there have been too few of these leadership figures at Arsenal over the past decade. That is why Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates gleamed with significance. Post-mortem examinations focused more on the vanquished Maurizio Sarri, and what