WHEN Reiss Nelson swung his left boot, there was pandemonium at Emirates Stadium.

Some are saying his 97th-minute winner against Cherries on Saturday is the greatest moment ever witnessed at the venue, since it opened its doors as Arsenal’s new home in 2006.

It is being ranked by Gunners fans right up there along with some iconic goals in the club’s recent history. A homegrown talent, in the very last second, completing a two-goal comeback and keeping his side on course for the title.

Subs spilled onto the pitch, coaches charged down the touchline and even a small child ended up high-fiving Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta near his technical area. Cherries players collapsed to the floor. It was pure chaos.

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Andrey Arshavin’s Champions League strike against Barcelona, which sealed a first ever win for the club against the Spanish giants. Danny Welbeck’s last-gasp headed winner against Leicester City when both clubs were duelling it out in the Premier League title race in 2016. Legend Thierry Henry’s goal on his return to the club, against Leeds United. Reiss Nelson, March 2023.

Nelson scoring against Cherries is set to go down in folklore, especially if Arsenal do go on to beat Manchester City to the title and become champions of England for the first time in almost two decades.

That, in itself, is huge credit to Gary O’Neil’s men. As emotional as the whole day turned into on Saturday, strip everything right back to the football itself and Cherries, now bottom of the Premier League, led 2-0 at a ground they have never taken anything from before and were one kick of the ball away from going home with a point.

Yes, there were, on the face of it, some pretty basic defensive errors that let Arsenal back in the game. In the context of the sheer weight of relentless pressure and wave of attack from the hungry table-toppers, who had just dispatched of Everton 4-0 a few days earlier, it was no surprise to see tired legs and minds creep in.

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So, what next?

It is perhaps fitting that new partial owner Michael B Jordan’s film, Creed III, was released into cinemas on the eve of this fixture, the latest film in the Rocky franchise.

Cherries’ squad were treated to an advance screening of the movie a couple of weeks ago. They need to get themselves up off the canvas. Again.

Saturday was the first time in 11 years Arsenal had come from two goals down to win a Premier League match.

For Cherries, not only did they do it themselves this season, at Nottingham Forest, but they have now seen two-goal leads disappear to lose three times this campaign.

It is perhaps too simplistic to say with those extra nine points, Cherries would sit around mid-table, well clear of safety. But having now conceded decisive goals in the final 10 minutes of matches five times this season (Tottenham, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, Arsenal), they can definitely have a sense of believing their points tally should look healthier.

But, it doesn’t. And now, for the first time all season, Cherries are bottom of the table.

As soon as O’Neil took the head coach role on an interim basis he has been praising the group’s resilience, character, fighting spirit and ability to respond to anything thrown at them.

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They have shown it more than once. The most obvious example is after the 9-0 humiliation at Liverpool, to keep a clean sheet and pick up a point against Wolves, under a new manager, just four days later. Not only that, but go unbeaten for five more matches.

To squander a two-goal lead to lose against Spurs, and then the following week perform so impressively for large spells to lead 3-1 at Elland Road, albeit to ultimately lose again.

A week later, the club had racked up back-to-back big wins over Everton.

So there is precedent there. But how many times can a squad keep surviving gut punches like the one on Saturday?

Not least a squad without eight players due to injury, naming two goalkeepers and an academy prospect who has never played for the club before among their substitutes. The parallels of this current injury crisis and the one which became so crippling in Eddie Howe’s final season in charge in relegation in 2019-20 are stark.

It puts more load and burden on the players who remain fit to feature.

There is seemingly an engrained resilience among this bunch. Not always the best barometer, but often after a defeat, players stay quiet publicly for days. Following Saturday’s crushing loss, many of the squad have already taken to social media, expressing their readiness to go again. Actions are obviously more important than words, but after Ryan Christie said in an interview with the Echo on Saturday the club would need to “grieve” their loss to Arsenal, any signs of life at this stage are encouraging.

Next up, Liverpool. Scars will remain from the reverse fixture. And the Reds have just stuck seven past Manchester United.

Asked how the team keeps bouncing back from getting hit so painfully this season, Christie added: “Just belief in the work we are doing throughout the week. It’s a big thing between now and next Saturday, everybody will be desperate to train as hard as they can.

“That prepares you for the next game. It’s tough to see it now, but there is confidence to take from (Saturday), especially against the team that is top of the league.

“Obviously Liverpool, a big team next week, but back at our place, we need to look at that and think we can take points from it.

“Obviously we’ve been on the other side of it as well, with the Forest game for example, 2-0 down and we come back. Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Speaking after Cherries lost 3-0 to Man United in January, O’Neil said: “There’s been tough spells and the boys have responded to every single one and we will again.”

Saturday lunchtime will be a big indicator of whether the madness at Emirates Stadium will prove one hit too many.