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Going into the game against Liverpool on Sunday Arsene Wenger was trying to convince anyone who would listen that his Arsenal side could still have a say in this year's title race.
With no fit strikers to speak of he was having a difficult task in getting anyone to listen despite the fact that both Chelsea and Manchester United had dropped points at home on Saturday.
These claims looked even hollower when Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool a half time lead after Arsenal keeper Almunia struggled to hold on to a cross when put under pressure by Lucas.
It was a deserved lead which could have been more had referee Howard Webb awarded Liverpool what looked like a cast iron penalty after Gallas brought down Gerrard with a very clumsy challenge. The only defence for Webb was that the ball was running away from Gerard but, nonetheless, it still should have been given.
Had Liverpool gone in with a 2-0 lead then it may have been a different story altogether but it was to prove costly as Andrei Arsahvin put his mark on what was already a very entertaining game.
The Russian has settled in well at Arsenal and although he was playing out of position as a lone striker he was giving Liverpool plenty to think about. It was, though, an own goal by Glenn Johnson that brought Arsenal back into the game immediately after half time. Nasri's cross looked harmless enough but a slight deflection by Carragher wrong-footed Johnson whose outstretched leg bundled the ball into his own net.
It was not long, eight minutes in fact, before Arsahvin put Arsenal ahead when he cut in from the right and smashed the ball past a helpless Reina. It left Arsenal in control of a game they had been chasing for much of the first half and they comfortably held out despite several changes by Benitez to shift the momentum.
Liverpool now find themselves in seventh place and 13 points behind leaders Chelsea. Arsenal, meanwhile, if they win their game in hand will be on the same points as Manchester United and well in the title race once again.
After defeats at Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea it was also important for the Gunners to get a victory against one of the big clubs in the Premiership.
Arsahvin first came to world prominence during in the European Championships for Russia although he had already been putting in some outstanding performances for Zenit St Petersburg.
The lure of the Premiership, though, was too much to resist and he joined Arsenal in the January transfer window last season making his debut against Sunderland in February.
It was a game against Liverpool that really saw him take centre stage as he scored all of Arsenals goals in a 4-4 thriller at Anfield. Benitez and his team must really be sick of the sight of the Russian attacker.
To lead the line so effectively against the likes of Stoke or Fulham is one thing but to do it at a place like Anfield is an indication of real class and if he stays fit for the rest of the season maybe Wenger is right in saying his team are going to have a real say in the title race. If, as everyone expects, the Frenchman buys a quality striker in January then he may well have the side to push Manchester United and Chelsea.
The most disappointing fact, though, of this whole situation is that the Russian maestro will not be at the World Cup next summer as his national side were knocked out of the qualifiers by Slovenia on the away goals rule. His running on the ball and general interplay will be missed but Wenger at least knows he will have a fit player coming back at the beginning of next season.
Wenger said after the match that Arshavin was always going to be the danger man for his side and so it proved in what could have been a defining moment for the North London side.
Liverpool fans, meanwhile, are just standing by and watching their team's season get worse and worse with each passing game and can only look on in envy at the skills and quality of players such as Arsahvin.
