"If you're not allowed to celebrate when you win a game, when are you allowed to celebrate?"
Those are the words of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard following his side's crucial 3-1 victory over one of Europe's most in-form teams, Liverpool.
It was a brilliant, dominating performance from the Gunners. They created the highest xG ever recorded against Liverpool in a Premier League game with 3.76, and handed the Reds only their second loss of the 2023/24 league campaign.
Such a display merits a high degree of appreciation and appraisal from the football world, but Arsenal have not received the flowers they deserve.
The focus was instead directed towards what many see as excessive celebrations from the players, manager, and even the behind-the-scenes staff.
Ask any fan from across the globe what makes football so special, and the majority of answers would allude to the emotions it evokes - the jubilation from a big win, and the sorrow from a damning loss.
The more important the match, the bigger the emotions involved, and for both Arsenal and Liverpool, yesterday's clash could prove pivotal in the Premier League title race.
No, Arsenal did not win the league yesterday, as some say their celebrations suggested. What they did do, however, is ensure that they remain well and truly in the title question.
Had Jurgen Klopp's side left north London with all three points, they would've moved eight points clear of Arsenal, leaving the Gunners with a colossal mountain to climb.
It was simply a huge match in the context of the season. Having fallen short to Manchester City last year, Arsenal know what it's like to end a campaign crestfallen; three points against Liverpool gives them as much chance as possible to right their wrongs.
The aforementioned Gunners captain, Martin Odegaard, was one of several subjects in the spotlight.
The Norweigan reversed the roles after the game, capturing lifelong fan and long-term club photographer Stuart MacFarlane's elation in front of a packed-out North Bank.
Ex-Liverpool player and current Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher took to X (formally known as Twitter) to call the action 'OTT' (over the top).
He added that, whilst the win should be celebrated, it should be done so in a 'disciplined' manner.
Stuart MacFarlane has been photographing Arsenal for 33 years, and it's great to see players recognising his commitment and devotion to the club and repaying the favour.
Sometimes, in a sport where the players are so gravely in the spotlight, it's nice to appreciate those whose work falls a little further behind the scenes. It was an attentive act from the Gunners captain.
Mikel Arteta faced scrutiny for his celebrations, too. After Leandro Trossard netted Arsenal's third of the game, the Arsenal boss wheeled away in celebration, high-fiving fans and fist-pumping the air.
Another Sky Sports pundit, Gary Neville, found himself wrapped up in what took place after the game, saying: "I think there was a little bit of immaturity in Arsenal's celebrations."
'Can somebody tell Arteta that he hasn’t won the Premier League with a celebration like that' one Liverpool fan added on X.
Many other football managers have conducted themselves in a similar fashion after important wins, but have faced meager backlash.
One example of this took place against Arsenal towards the climax of last season, when Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi performed a knee-slide on the pitch as his side ran away with a 3-0 win.
Attempting to find similar punditry resentment of this moment proved challenging, and on X, the incident was widely celebrated as an act of passion and spirit.
Former Arsenal player Martin Keown's comments on talkSPORT, though, touched upon what he sees as 'double standards' from fans and the media alike.
“I honestly feel that if Arteta did a knee-slide down the side of the pitch, we’d never hear the end of it, but for some reason, it’s okay for De Zerbi to do it?
“I like the emotion on show, but I think because it’s Brighton who are inoffensive and they’re everyone’s second favourite team, we turn a blind eye to it," he said.
Ultimately, what is sport all about? The age-old saying may argue it's the taking part that counts, but at the top level, to win is the be-all and end-all.
The opening quote from Odegaard is really what this piece comes down to. Who knows what Arsenal will go on to achieve come the end of the season?
They may win the league, or they may fizzle out once again. This result may prove crucial in either side's year, or it may merely be a drop in the footballing ocean.
For now, though, the result gives Arsenal Football Club one thing: hope.
And hope should not be underestimated - let them celebrate it.
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