According to Arsene Wenger, his captain was only to come on “in case of an emergency”. Fifty seven scoreless minutes into yesterday’s match with Villa, the Gunners boss sent out the SOS call.

In what will be remembered as one of the greatest cameos the Premiership is ever likely to see, Cesc Fabregas, with a couple of quite brilliant goals, put Villa to the sword before departing the proceedings just twenty eight minutes later, victim of the hamstring injury that prevented him starting in the first place.

Martin O’Neill’s team entered the game looking to take Arsenal’s scalp and complete a remarkable sequence of beating all the Big Four, but in the end, left thoroughly defeated. Here’s a few pointers as to how the game unrolled:

Villa’s Wide Men Tamed

Defensively, Arsenal were impressive against a team victorious at the Emirates last season. Aston Villa’s wingers, so integral to the team’s set-up, were unable to get the better of Arsenal’s full-backs, as Armand Traore and Bacary Sagna nullified the threat of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing. Young’s pace, one of his main weapons, was ably coped with, as he switched from flank to flank looking for a way through.

Traore and Sagna not only ensured solidity to the back line, but got forward too, as this chalkboard shows. It was Traore’s fantastic crossfield pass to Theo Walcott that set the wheels in motion for the hosts second goal, and at just 4.0m in FPL, he could be a nice alternative with the double game week now upon us.

Diaby The Box-to-Box Man

Before Cesc’s introduction, Abou Diaby was Arsenal’s most impressive player, surging forward to help the attack and coming back to aid defence time and again. Alexandre Song’s departure to the African Cup of Nations should see either the Frenchman or Denilson drop back into the defensive midfield role after the FA Cup game with West Ham, but Diaby’s performance yesterday (shown on this passing & tackling chalkboard) showed just why Arsene Wenger has been insisting he’s a fantastic box-to-box midfielder.

With Fabregas’ hamstring again playing up, Diaby, at just 5.5m on FPL, seems like a solid double gameweek move, if this form is maintained. If Denilson is match-fit, Wenger may well drop him into the Song role, thus freeing Diaby up and utilising his qualities more efficiently.

Cesc the Difference

An outstanding performance from the captain was the difference between the two teams. Arsenal, for all their prodding, found it difficult to break down a stubborn visitor‘s defence, and after a couple of easy early misses from Eduardo and Arshavin for the home side, the game developed into an even stalemate, as Villa coped easily with Arsenal’s diminutive front line.

The introduction of Fabregas proved the spark that the match badly needed, his intelligence and movement drawing the Villa defence out, disrupting the back four’s cohesion, and ultimately getting the Gunners’ breakthrough goal.

Both Eduardo and Arshavin, overall disappointing, got into more promising positions in the 28 mins Cesc was on the pitch than the previous 56 altogether, as this chalkboard shows.

Fabregas, with nine goals and twelve assists already, is showing himself a true leader for Wenger this campaign.

Arshavin Disappoints

Andrei Arshavin’s attacking threat was blunted when up against the likes of Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar, two no-nonsense centre backs. It’s all-too-evident that Arsenal’s system was designed for a more physical player in the lone forward role, a fact commented on by Cesc Fabregas recently, as Arsenal continue to rue the loss of Robin Van Persie.

A look at this chalkboard shows Arshavin’s lack of influence; against Villa, Cesc Fabregas made just two less passes, made more successful passes and moved into more dangerous areas than Arshavin, despite playing 62 minutes less than the diminutive Russian.

Arsene Wenger has admitted he has one eye on the January transfer window, and his next move will, undoubtedly, be crucial. It was Arshavin, last season’s winter capture, who sparked the Gunners into life and drove the team onwards to capture fourth spot when it seemed all-too elusive.

This time round, however, with his team just four points off the top and with a game in hand, Wenger’s aim isn’t just to chase a Champions League place; this season, inspired by the continued brilliance of their captain, it looks well within the Gunners’ grasp to go all the way.