The noise is not as great, the stands are not as full, but the memories of that stunning win over Real Madrid are still in the minds of these Arsenal fans today.
With Nottingham Forest losing earlier today, this one is even more dead-rubbery, with a chance to give some fringe players some much-needed air in the lungs, like Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Jorginho.
And yet, Raheem Sterling STILL cannot get a start... why?
Mikel Arteta probably feels it is better to give Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri more minutes today given they will likely be used off the bench at the Bernabeu next week.
But if you're Sterling, those frustrations will be bubbling away...
Where Arsenal are hosting Brentford in the Saturday teatime game.
It's the weekend after the Tuesday before, and you get the sense everyone here is still talking about the thumping of Real Madrid and those Declan Rice free-kicks.
But sandwiched in between those two ties with the La Liga giants is this London derby, and Mikel Arteta has taken the opportunity to make changes.
Super-Sub Dwight McNeil came off the bench after 90 minutes.
Yet he still found time to conjure up a dramatic stoppage time winner for Abdoulaye Doucoure to puncture Forest's Champions League hopes.
McNeil's late arrival turned a truly dreadful affair on its head just as we all assumed it was going to peter out into a soulless, goalless draw.
He pounced on a hesitant Murillo to rob the Brazilian deep in Forest's half before setting up Doucoure to fire past Matz Sels to snatch three hard-earned points.
It was a dramatic smash and grab job but Forest couldn't complain after they produced one of their worst home performances of a stellar season.
They had kept a clean sheet in their last four outings at the City Ground but seemed content to settle for a fifth when disaster struck.
Nuno Esperito Santo's men have now lost their last two games and are suffering a dose of the jitters at the wrong time of the season.Meanwhile Everton continue to improve under David Moyes' shrewd management.
87. There's a VAR check ongoing for a possible Everton penalty, but don't get too excited - I can see from here that the challenge on Beto doesn't meet the threshold for overturning the on field decision.
Hundreds of Southampton fans are now leaving St Mary’s. They have seen enough.
There is not a lot of anger. Just resignation that this season has been a right-off. It is 2-0 to Aston Villa – the away fans are in great voice now – but if you support the Saints, then it is likely you are probably marching out.
79. Another substitute, another goal! What a squad Unai Emery is building at Aston Villa!
A clever through ball from Morgan Rogers dissects the Southampton defence, allowing Donyell Malen to race through and rocket a shot past Aaron Ramsdale.
It's three in three Premier League games for the former Dortmund ace!
Admittedly, they've been helped here by some slack defending from Brighton, who completely switch off when Bilal El Khannoussi swings over a free-kick from the right.
It gives Memeh Okoli a free run into the six-yard box and, having timed his run to beat the offside trap, heads powerfully past Bart Verbruggen.
And it's that man, Ollie Watkins, off the bench to break the deadlock.
The pass over the top from Youri Tielemans is glorious, and the substitute timed his run perfectly to poke a volley past Aaron Ramsdale and in off the underside of the crossbar.
It's a brilliant stop from the Saints keeper, who dives to his left and pushes out the Spaniard's spotkick.
The penalty was won by Ollie Watkins, only just on as a substitute, after he raced into the area and was brought down by former teammate Jan Bednarek.
But rather than the striker taking it - or even Youri Tielemans - the ball was handed to Asensio, and he promptly spurned the chance to break the deadlock.
60. There hasn't been much of an improvement in the standard at the City Ground.
Chris Wood has at least livened things up with a dive inside the six-yard box so unconvincing that he could hardly bring himself to look at the referee, let alone appeal to him.
55. For the second time this afternoon, Darren Bond has been sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR to award a Brighton penalty that really should have been awarded the first time round.
Matt O'Riley clearly had his shirt pulled by Luke Thomas as he took aim at Mads Hermansen's goal.
Once again, Joao Pedro isn't put off by the lengthy theatre of it all, and when the moment comes, he slams a superb spotkick into the top corner for his second of the afternoon.
The afternoon's third Premier League game is also level at half-time, although we have at least seen two goals - one of which was Leicester's first in FOREVER.
Brighton have had plenty of chances, and will be frustrated not to be well ahead.
