Less than 24 hours after drawing a blank at home to Everton, a possible opportunity landed itself at Arsenal's door. Failing to score, and once more proving far from effective at creating chances from open play, it was a struggle of an afternoon for Mikel Arteta.
His side had found their mojo in midweek against Monaco, winning 3-0 but having enough opportunities to double that scoreline. The shots given up were a concern, though, and Arsenal turned to being their risk-averse selves once more when Sean Dyche brought his own set-piece specialists to town.
Choosing, or maybe ending up with a side playing once more with the handbrake on rather than pushing to generate high-quality positions through adventure and pressing, Arteta was left frustrated. Jordan Pickford proved resilient but such was the nature of stodge in this Arsenal display, Martin Odegaard was removed for tactical reasons with half-an-hour left.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli failed to seriously stretch a defence which had shipped four goals to Manchester United two weeks ago. Everton have been a strong group at the back for much of this season - three of their last five games have now been 0-0 with only one of the last 12 seeing more than one goal go past them - but that doesn't make it much easier for Arsenal to accept.
It is with these problems in mind, and Arsenal's problems in scoring outside of corners and penalties in recent weeks, that make Manchester United's decision to drop both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho against Manchester City on Sunday even more notable. Long linked with the Gunners, Rashford is thought to be up for sale at Old Trafford.
Some reports suggest that he could be available as early as January with Ruben Amorin preparing for life without Rashford. At 27, the boyhood United fan and academy graduate still has three-and-a-half years left on his contract having signed a bumper new deal almost 18 months ago.
At his peak, it is understandable why teams such as Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Rashford. Two seasons ago he scored 30 goals in all competitions. As a versatile winger also able to play through the middle, Arsenal are one of the few sides who can not only afford Rashford but might be able to bring out the best in him again.
Garnacho, at 20, is the younger, quicker, more promising option. "Selection," Amorim explained when asked why the pair had been left out.
"We tried to evaluate everything. Training, performance, game performance. Engagement with the team-mates, push the team-mates up. Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. So, my selection - simple."
It is not a promising sign for either but leaves a chance for Arsenal, should they wish, that did not exist before. Players like Rashford and Garnacho are rarely readily available. Whether they quite fit what Arteta is going for is another question, but so is if they would be more suited than Raheem Sterling or even Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, who are far from consistent.
Too much is now placed at the feet of Bukayo Saka, and often Odegaard behind him on the right. Rashford and Garnacho, when in the mood, are the sort of attacker capable of easing that burden and adding extra dimensions to a frontline. Arteta needs that now and has seen an unexpected chance arise to make a play for Rashford, at least.
Garnacho's future problems are less clear due to his age. United will be more reticent to move on from him. Leaving out a star of that calibre for one of the two biggest matches of the season is no way to steady the ship in that sense. For United that may not be what Amorim is after but for Arsenal it could change everything anyway.