There was a moment on Sunday that summed up the never say die attitude of Katie McCabe.
At 1-0 down in the first half, very little was going the Gunners' way. Ireland captain McCabe took an inswinging corner that failed to trouble the Man City defence.
But as the visitors launched a counter-attack McCabe was charging back towards her own goal faster than anyone else in red, yelling instructions and demanding the same urgency. Less than 96 hours earlier, the Irish star was leaving the Emirates on crutches having gone off with an ankle knock late on a memorable win over Bayern Munich - here she was back out in the heat of the battle.
The full-back produced a superb cross to give Stina Blackstenius one of the easiest finishes of the season in that game, her first decisive moment of the week. But the best was yet to come against Man City on Sunday. With a potentially decisive game between the two title challengers level, McCabe took matters into her own hands in the 74th minute.
Seconds after a Gunners' corner was taken short, she unleased a left footed rocket into the top corner that Ellie Roebuck could only claw at. It sparked 'scenes' throughout Meadow Park, Arsenal holding out for the win to keep their title dreams in their own hands.
It was a match-winning moment that stole the headlines. But the 27-year-old is about more than just flair, she is pure Dublin grit.
Considering this was only days after she hobbled out of the Emirates in a protective boot, the Irish international showed exactly what she is made of. Not that manager Jonas Eidevall ever doubted she would play.
"She told me straight away she was going to play Sunday," he said after the win. "Of course you don’t believe that. Then she went for the scans and they looked better than we thought.
"Me and her spoke a bit yesterday and she said I’m here (to play) We didn’t even have her out kicking long balls yesterday just to save her foot."
Arsenal needed her regardless of whether she was at a 100 per cent or not. McCabe is always battling, always scrapping, willing to do whatever the team needs to get the win.
On Sunday she started at left-back but was moved higher up the pitch to play wide on the left wing when Caitlin Foord when off injured. As well as her superb display in the comeback win over Bayern, she was outstanding in the Conti Cup final win over Chelsea, that seems to have sparked new energy into Arsenal's season.
"This period here is the best we’ve seen Katie McCabe since I’ve been a coach here," added Eidevall. "She has been a tremendous player during these months."
Her current form is why Ireland are confident she can help them to the knockout stages of the Women's World Cup. It is why Kim Kardashian's son was spotted wearing a jersey with McCabe's name on the back, on a recent trip to the Emirates Stadium.
"Saint West has some good taste," she joked on social media after.
McCabe herself refused to take all the credit for her miraculous turnaround. Arsenal is a team effort she insists, that goes way beyond the pitch.
"It’s been a lot," she told BBC after the Man City win. "Qualifying for the first semi-final in the Champions League was unbelievable, and then the quick turnaround to get fit. I had a fantastic medical team to help me.
"We’re just concentrating on ourselves and each game that’s put in front of us. It’s just another three points (today) and we just need to keep chipping away at it until the end of the season.
"We want players to go away with their national teams and stay fit, and then come back and prepare for a massive end to the season. It’s going to be an exciting run-in."
If McCabe can keep herself fit and in her current form, don't rule out that exciting run-in having a happy ending both for her and Arsenal.
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