Arsenal claimed a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, making it two wins from two since the winter break to keep in touching distance of Liverpool and Manchester City.
After impressing off the bench in the 5-0 win over Crystal Palace, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe made the starting line-up at the City Ground, looking to build momentum with another dazzling display.
But all that awaited was another low block with 10 men behind the ball for much of the game.
While that set-up doesn’t favour Martinelli, his threat in behind and the goal threat he showed last season warrant a place from the start in most games.
But Smith Rowe’s one and two-touch play was a particularly welcome sight, even though it looked like he was still building up some match sharpness.
The first half was slow, as David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba and especially Oleksandr Zinchenko slowed the pace right down as they probed during build-up, often to Arsenal’s detriment.
But Smith Rowe helped add some zip to get the side going and that’s a quality the Gunners have been desperate for against low blocks this season.
Gabriel Jesus was another who was getting a lot of joy, despite starting slowly with a number of sloppy touches. 
The Brazilian grew into the game well and, after missing a gilt-edged change from inside the six-yard box, found the net from a near-impossible angle minutes later to put Arsenal ahead, before assisting Bukayo Saka on the counter to wrap the game up.
Arsenal seem to have found an attacking spark following the winter break, including with their rotation forwards.
The best part is it has come at the perfect time, as the Gunners host league leaders Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday (4.30pm) - a Liverpool without Mo Salah.
It will be the third time the sides have faced off in six weeks, with the first meeting a tightly fought 1-1 draw at Anfield in the league which could have gone either way. 
The second encounter ended up as a 2-0 loss in the FA Cup at the Emirates, albeit a game Arsenal played well in. 
The third? Arsenal look in a good position to finally claim a win.