If Arsenal really are the symphony orchestra that Jürgen Klopp so colourfully described, there can be no doubt who has emerged this season as their lead conductor.
Aaron Ramsey had begun Wednesday by being voted Arsenal’s player of the month for a fourth consecutive time and ended it by scoring the winner in a hugely significant victory against Borussia Dortmund.
It was Ramsey’s 11th Arsenal goal in 17 games this season, equalling his return during his previous five years and 150 matches for the club.
Tomas Rosicky, the former Dortmund midfielder, switched the play to the right and, when the otherwise quiet Mesut Özil floated over a cross, Olivier Giroud challenged with every ounce of his physical strength. He did what he had to do and, suddenly, there was Ramsey, stretching to get there first, ignoring Neven Subotic's raised boot, to head beyond the clutches of Roman Weidenfeller. Ramsey has now equalled his goals return from his previous five seasons at the club.
In the end one goal was enough. Dortmund had failed to score only once in their last 60 home games and had won their last eight home ties in the Champions League, but their search for an equaliser constantly ran into dead ends and Szczesny did not have another serious save to make before the end.
The win gave Arsenal much-needed revenge for their defeat at home to Dortmund a fortnight ago, but their passage through to the last 16 is still far from straightforward.
Even if the Gunners beat bottom side Marseille at the Emirates on 26 November, they could still need to pick up a point at Napoli in their final group game in order to secure their progress.
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