Arsenal started off the next month as they’d finished the last one, with a match against Manchester City. This time in the league, a mixture of terrible weather conditions and widespread fan disappointment at the weekend’s result meant hardly anyone actually turned up.

The snow was so bad that Arsenal decided to paint the pitch lines blue, to stand out more. City walked over Wenger’s side again, going 3-0 up inside the first 32 minutes. Aubameyang should have got the club back in it with a second half penalty, but Ederson saved well, and it ended with the same result as the cup final.

Now with three defeats in a row behind them, Arsenal travelled to Brighton to try and put things right. Once again, they started slowly and were punished for it, with the hosts taking a 2-0 lead.

Aubameyang finished intelligently to make it 2-1 before half-time, but there was no second half comeback, and that’s how the match ended.

Four straight defeats didn’t exactly fill the fans with confidence ahead of the team’s Europa League last-16 match against AC Milan, but they had to face up to the prospect the following Thursday nonetheless.

A Winning Run at Last?

For the first time in a long time, Arsenal really stepped up to the occasion, during their trip to Milan. The defence just about stood firm, bar a couple of shaky moments, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave the team a surprising early lead. By half-time the fans were in dreamland, as Aaron Ramsey confidently rounded the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

In the second half the focus switched to just keeping the lead and taking a result back to the Emirates. The players fought hard to make it happen, and ended up with a surprising win no one really expected.

Back in North London and with a bit of confidence after that victory, Arsenal eased past Watford 3-0. Mustafi scored along with both new signings, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan.

To top off a good day, Troy Deeney stepped up to take a penalty, and failed to convert it, as Petr Cech made his first spot-kick save of his Arsenal career. It was a particularly sweet moment after all of Deeney’s comments about knowing how to beat Wenger’s side, earlier in the season.

In the final game of the month, before the international break, the Gunners had to finish off the job they’d started against AC Milan. The Emirates was almost full for once, as everyone turned up to see the return of big European nights to the stadium.

Arsenal started a little nervously, but there was nothing they could do about Milan’s opening goal, as Calhanoglu hit a wonder-strike to give the away side the lead. A few minutes later Danny Welbeck converted a dodgy penalty, and the tie swung back in their favour.

Granit Xhaka scored from range thanks to Donnarumma fumbling the ball, and Welbeck added a third late on to ensure Arsenal got the win as well as progression to the quarter-finals.