Welbeck can be that guy for Arsenal as title race reignites

Just as titles are won over the course of a gruelling nine-month season, so too are there individual moments that produce eventual champions.

This could be one of them. In the dying seconds of added time, Danny Welbeck rose high to glance in Mesut Ozil’s free-kick and send 60,000 supporters into delirium as Arsenal came from behind to win 2-1 against league leaders Leicester.

What a story for Welbeck, on as a second-half substitute for his first appearance since last April following a dreadful time with knee problems. His ecstatic celebrations reflected the release of that frustration as much as the joy of such an important winner.

As Arsenal celebrated at the final whistle as though they had just won the title, Welbeck was at the heart of it, mobbed by team-mates, his hair ruffled by coaching staff, a smile so genuine and infectious it would disarm even the most hardened cynic.

The reality for Arsenal is that there is a long way to go, 12 games in fact, and they are two points behind Leicester, ready to pounce on any slip-up as the four-horse title race promises to continue for a while longer.

This was far from a convincing performance against a Leicester side forced to play with 10 men for more than 35 minutes after Danny Simpson was sent-off for two bookings in the space of four minutes.

Yet results are all that matters in the run-in for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger has been hampered by injury problems all season so it was significant that, with most of his squad now fully fit, two substitutes turned the game on its head.

Theo Walcott was the first, sliding in from close range in the 70th minute after running on to a lovely cushioned header from Olivier Giroud. The fact that it was the Gunners’ first shot on target shows how the hosts had struggled to break down the Foxes.

Then, as supporters seemed to accept the disappointment of a draw, Welbeck popped up with virtually the last touch of the game.

It has been a topsy-turvy season and almost impossible to draw conclusions from individual matches. Arsenal have swung many times between hope and expectation - but today the fans, and more importantly the players, will leave feeling they should win the title.

Arsenal started at high tempo as they looked to blow Leicester away, but Claudio Ranieri’s side have shown time and again this season that they are comfortable soaking up pressure and playing on the counter-attack.

That is exactly how they opened the scoring here. One minute, Arsenal were appealing for a free-kick on the edge of the Leicester box, the next they were watching Jamie Vardy slam in a penalty from 12 yards after the striker was himself brought down by Nacho Monreal.

Leicester’s gameplan continued to work until Simpson’s dismissal, after which Arsenal controlled the game and waited for their moment to come. It did - and Welbeck was the man.