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Finally, a moment to exhale. When Bukayo Saka fired a low drive then hard past Kostas Tzolakis to complete an occasionally uncomfortable 2-0 win, the noise from the Emirates faithful was closer to a tired, sofa-flopping sigh than a roar of triumph, with the sense, at last, of a midweek task accomplished.

This match was one Arsenal seemed destined to win, even though seeming to realise this a little too early during the match against determined and spirited rivals. No team draws the stern and unforgiving eye as much as Arteta’s squad, for whom a deep roster, the supposed crime of acquiring a championship-caliber side, is the latest crime on the rap sheet.

Yet on occasion it’s essential to complete the task. Even at kick-off the Emirates seemed like a routine venue, a continuation of the rush hour high street just beyond the hard white lights, the city’s hustle, nine to five football, a required duty as we head now toward that part of the year where the lights come on at four and the campaign begins to intensify.

Beyond the win, a couple of notable developments happened here for Arsenal. Martin Ødegaard played 90 minutes. And the Swedish striker went the distance as well. They achieved this in differing ways. The captain shone, even in the period when Arsenal were not, and this matters: numerous involvements, four shots, an assist, a reel of delightful passes, subtle touches, intelligent cues. He really is a lovely player to watch when he’s in this form, half graceful creator, half relentless pressing force, darting around like a drop of water in a sizzling skillet.

The forward was his usual self: powerfully direct, haring about the place from first to last like a man being chased by a sheep dog. But Gyökeres was also interesting because he speaks progress, new approaches, and to wanting more. And there are points to be digested now, though this game wasn’t really one of them.

Martin Ødegaard was brilliant during the team’s off moments.

This marked the second time Evangelos Marinakis vehicle Arsenal had come up against in the past few weeks and the owner was in attendance in a $500 white T-shirt and a sleek designer jacket, the look of a man who at any given moment is either on his way to a motor yacht, has just got off a speed boat, or aboard a boat, ideally accompanied by a group of ponytailed men over a soft metal soundtrack.

A few amusing incidents unfolded early on. The Olympiakos boss, the excitable Olympiakos manager, became embroiled in a tangle with the fourth official, a vast terrifying bald man, like the bouncer at the door of a club only for bouncers. Down the left flank the Arsenal defender, tall and sturdy, marking Daniel Podence, 5ft 4in, had vague take‑your-dad-to-school vibes. For a period this threatened to become a stroll, with an early strike made by the duo. It was a beautiful thing, a feather-light brush stroke then a powerful finish.

Initially the captain made a clever move, gliding into a half-space between midfield and defence, jinking past his man then playing a perfect pass between two grey shirts into the run of the striker. At that moment, the powerhouse took over, Gyökeres basically ran through a pair of defenders, before blasting a shot at the keeper. When the ball rolled goalward the Brazilian attacker attempted to let it cross the line, before hammering home the loose ball off the post.

This showcased Gyökeres at his finest, who often doesn’t look like a very good basic footballer among these teammates, but doesn’t seem to mind, or intimidated. Olympiacos gave him some rough stuff after the goal. He was jounced and bumped and barged. He rose, returned for further action.

The striker is a unique specimen, in this team, with that distinctive way of carrying the ball, less about close control as knocking it ahead and then chasing it down, similar to a large dog pursuing a toy. He’s a battering ram. Yet this is acceptable. The team previously lacked a bludgeon in the past.

He will need to get better, quicker to shoot, sharper in tight spaces. But this is also significant, because Gyokeres is also the only part of this re-geared team still waiting to click.

This is not quite a moment to pause: that will only come following the weekend fixture, but the team can presently at least adjust their crampons and take a mouthful of Kendal mint cake.

It seemed apparent the fall schedule would divide into two separate phases. The initial segment is now behind them. A busy run of matches, among those Manchester United, top opponents, league sides, Manchester City and Champions League teams, and concluded here with a challenging evening against the Greek champions.

At the end of that the statistics show: seven victories, one defeat, drawn one with five clean sheets. There are also unseen positives. Scoring distributed across the squad, and just a single goal allowed from open play. Depth exists for the wing, defensive backups, cover for Ødegaard. Best of all the manager has demonstrated flexibility, adapted in real-time, has been impressively fluid and urgent with his patterns in the recent matches, amid an era of overly rigid tactical trends elsewhere.

This is not the beginning of anything just yet. This is not even the end of the beginning. However, the upcoming fixtures represent, broadly speaking, a favorable stretch relative to before, with multiple domestic matches that look winnable and the European competition now under control. All things being equal, and with the captain in fine form, there is a feeling of credit being squirrelled away. And nearly, though not entirely, time to take a breath.