There was so much to like about Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Chelsea on Boxing Day.
Emile Smith Rowe was sensational, while Hector Bellerin looked a new player in the captain's armband, and that's before we even mention Granit Xhaka's free kick.
But the two players who Mikel Arteta singled out for praise after the performance were Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli.
“I think both of them were really good, really good understanding, a lot of energy, really good communication and courage as well,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“They were really positive every time we were attacking, with the runs, playing forward, they were both involved in a lot of good attacking actions so I am really pleased with them.”
The duo last started alongside each other as Freddie Ljungberg managed Arsenal to a first Premier League victory in seven games against West Ham at the Olympic Stadium. That night Tierney was forced off with a dislocated shoulder that would keep him out for three months.
Just as the Scot was getting back to full fitness a combination of the COVID pandemic and a long-term knee injury sustained by Martinelli in training meant that we would end up waiting over a year to see the two combine again.
Tierney has impressed all season while others around him have failed and been consistently singled out for praise due to his positive attitude and insatiable desire to win.
Much of his campaign has been spent behind the equally impressive Bukayo Saka. The two have worked well together and appear to get on, but it could be argued that it is stifling a key part of the 23-year-old's game.
Crossing is a key weapon in Tierney's attacking arsenal, but when he plays with Saka he is often forced to whip in balls from deep.
As a left footer playing on the left wing, Saka's inclination is often to stay wide and go outside his marker to put in crosses of his own. To be fair to the 19-year-old, he is very good at this, but it leaves Tierney's favoured crossing position somewhat crowded out.
With Martinelli however, it is very different. The Brazilian is ostensibly a centre forward operating on the left wing. As soon as he receives the ball his desire is to drive inwards and be closer to goal, dragging terrified markers with him as he goes. This creates space out wide for Tierney who can use his incredible energy to overlap to great effect.
It is this that led to the foul that won Alex Lacazette's penalty on Boxing Day. Sensing the opportunity for a goal Martinelli drove into the box, leaving Tierney out wide in acres of space. When Granit Xhaka found him, the left-back was able to isolate Reece James one-on-one and draw the soft foul.
While the combination didn't directly lead to a goal against Chelsea it already has done for Arsenal. Last season against Standard Liege in the Europa League a Tierney cross onto Martinelli's head worked perfectly to create the Brazilian's opener. Against Vittoira on matchday three the duo combined again to prove it was more than just a fluke.
Both have had fitness problems recently and Mikel Arteta will be wary of over-relying upon them, particularly with such a quick turnaround of games over the festive period.
But in the space of just seven starts alongside one another they appear to struck up a natural connection that leads to goals.
At 19 and 23 they are Arsenal's future, and after a season of dreading what is to come, Gunners fans can now eagerly anticipate a left flank that has the potential to be one of the best in the Premier League.
