Rewind to Aug. 28, when Manchester City inflicted a humiliating 5-0 defeat on Arsenal, their third Premier League loss in a row following miserable outings against Brentford and Chelsea. It was the first time in 67 years the Gunners had lost their opening three games in a campaign and the continued presence of manager Mikel Arteta on the sidelines was dividing the fanbase.
The Gunners were bottom of the table after an inauspicious start -- hampered also by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of their preseason tour as well as the absence of a number of star players due to positive tests -- in which they conceded nine goals and scored none.