But there is an alternative ending that I cannot get out of my head, and that is of Arsenal's Piero Hincapie dribbling the ball out of danger and clearing it in the 93rd minute. The Gunners then hold on for a draw.

This chasm between what did and did not happen highlights a crucial area for Mikel Arteta's team if they are to win the Premier League title: the ability of our entire squad to execute game management, particularly in the dying moments of tight games.

At the start of the season, fans will have been delighted with the improved squad depth. But Arsenal have been forced to rotate where they may otherwise not have and those being forced to step in from the fringes can sometimes lack the repetition and high-stakes experience of the regulars.

Within the starting XI, experienced players like Declan Rice and the now-injured Gabriel know what it takes to control the tempo and see out victories. Rivals will call it 'dark arts', and there is indeed an art to winning tight games.

For a squad chasing multiple trophies this season, every member must possess this elite situational awareness. It is not enough for them to be technically proficient, especially as the calendar only becomes busier and the stakes higher.

Hincapie is not to blame for Villa's winner. Arsenal had multiple opportunities to clear the ball, and a win was probably fair reward for an excellent performance by Unai Emery's team.

But Arteta needs to prepare his squad to make the type of pragmatic decisions under duress that will ultimately deliver points from these crucial fine moments.