The Gunners' English striker - back from a nine-month absence - heads what our writers learned from the FA Cup weekend...
Resilient Welbeck is back again
Against Southampton on Saturday, Danny Welbeck did not look like a player who had just spent nine months on the sidelines.
The Arsenal striker – making his first start since May – was as sharp as anyone on the pitch, scoring twice and setting up another to put the Gunners in complete control.
Even more remarkable, however, is that this was the second occasion in which Welbeck has returned from a serious injury to make an immediate impact.
The 26-year-old scored the winner against Leicester last season after a 10-month layoff – a goal that, at the time, seemed pivotal in the title race.
Welbeck’s physical gifts were on full display at St Mary’s. He is strong and agile, and could be a prolific scorer if he continues to finish like he did on Saturday.
Perhaps the Englishman’s greatest strength, though, is his resilience.
Countless players in the past have failed to bounce back from serious injuries.
Welbeck has done it twice.
His extraordinary return means Arsenal – a club that were supposedly in desperate need of a world-class striker last summer – now have as many quality attacking options as any club in the Premier League.
With Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Walcott all in double figures, the Gunners have the firepower to maintain their title challenge.
Second strings detatched
When Jurgen Klopp elected to field a side featuring, at best, three first-team regulars on Saturday, he must have had an inkling of what was to come.
And while Roberto Firmino, Georgio Wijnaldum and Divock Origi are in Klopp’s “league” thinking, they are not necessarily the experienced heads who can drag their side through a sticky spell.
So when Conor Randall – subbed at half-time – Joe Gomez, Ben Woodburn and Ovie Ejaria sought guidance against Wolves on Saturday, they had nobody to turn to but themselves.
The result was not just a hiding for Liverpool, but damaging for said youngsters.
It was the same for Brighton, who made nine changes.
Chris Hughton’s side were disjointed and patternless against Lincoln City, as were Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle at Oxford.
In appearing to throw a bone to different players, they only managed to make it abundantly clear who their second string is and, of course, suffered a frustrating defeat.
One wonders whether the magic of the minnows’ achievement is rather diminished, given the stilted opposition they were up against.
But even more so, what good the upset victims’ policy has done for several careers.
Broadcasters’ bad habits
There are times when a referee or assistant referee’s decision directly affects the outcome of match.
Wolves’ win at Liverpool was probably not one of them.
Yes, two decisions went in the visitors’ favour, but there were other, more interesting reasons for their win.
Yet with Wolves 2-0 up and halfway towards an excellent FA Cup upset, BT Sport concentrated their half-time analysis on the legitimacy of both goals.
It was curious, given that the first came from a free-kick that should have been taken 10 yards further back and was marginally offside.
Neither call was disputable. There was no discussion to be had.
A more interesting talking point would have been why the 18th-best team in the Championship were dominating a top-four side?
Or, more specifically, what was it about Wolves’ tactics that enabled them to counter Liverpool time and time again?
Officials should be accountable, but broadcasters shouldn’t rely upon every marginal decision to create entertaining television and, even more crucially, engagement on their social channels.
It perpetuates a blame culture that is already too prevalent in football, and is tedious for viewers who want to learn something about the game.
