Gabriel's moment to forget, Danny Welbeck's return after eight months out and tin-foil trophies: Six things you missed from Arsenal's win at Preston
- Arsenal travelled to Lancashire for an FA Cup third round tie against Preston
- Arsene Wenger went into the game having NEVER lost in the third round
- Gabriel endured a torrid night and received plenty of abuse from Arsenal fans
- Preston's favourite son Freddie Flintoff watched the game from the stands
Arsenal's trip to Preston in the FA Cup was enthralling from start to finish. Preston pushed hard, went ahead, and could well have killed the game off in the first half.
The Premier League side fought back though, eventually earning the victory through Aaron Ramsey and then captain Olivier Giroud late on.
The frantic and frenzied nature of the tie means you may well have missed a few things, but never fear, Sportsmail is here... to bring you a rundown of the stuff that could have escaped your grasp at Deepdale.
Callum Robinson (right) opened the scoring for Preston against Arsenal in the FA Cup
Aaron Ramsey restored normality earlier in the second half, netting his first of the season
Olivier Giroud then broke Preston hearts, scoring late to take Arsenal into the fourth round
TIN FOIL TROPHIES
Remember those old-school tin-foil trophies? Rarely seen in the Premier League, never seen in the Champions League... but there seems to be a special place reserved for them in England's oldest cup competition.
Usually homemade by fans of a lower-league club - 'Mum, can I cut up that Corn Flakes packet and take it to the football?' - and waved around in the stands before the game.
If the minnows take the lead in a televised clash, the cameras are quickly trained on that tin-foil trophy, as the fans dream of a day out at Wembley in May.
At Deepdale on Saturday night, Preston fans passed round their very own version... including some air-time for this man with an impressive beard.
Sadly though, their dreams were shattered by one Olivier Giroud late on.
One man with an impressive beard posed with Preston's tin-foil trophy ahead of the game
The FA Cup appeared to be passed around the crowd as Preston fans dreamed of Wembley
There's that bearded man again, showing off his FA Cup to the Arsenal players warming up
GABRIEL'S MOMENT TO FORGET
'The Magic of the Cup' is a phrase bandied about regularly on third round weekend. David vs Goliath, giants vs minnows... and especially so when a lower-league side take the lead against a Premier League opponent.
For Arsenal, though, it was more 'madness' than 'magic' when they went a goal down at Preston on Saturday evening. Within seconds of the opener, they had found their target on social media, unleashing fury on central defender Gabriel.
He hasn't found his feet in English football yet, and this was yet another opportunity for the already-notorious Arsenal Twitter to take aim. Can anyone else not wait to see the next Arsenal Fan TV?
Gabriel, circled in red, sits behind Arsenal's defensive line as Preston build up to their goal
As Robinson moves towards the penalty area, still Gabriel drops deeper, playing them onside
As the final ball is played, centre back Gabriel is well out of position and at fault for the goal
Gabriel's night went from bad to worse when he needed medical treatment and a bandage
'He is AWFUL', read one tweet, while another noted quite simply: 'Sell Gabriel.' Admittedly, he was well out of position and played two Preston players onside as Robinson snuck in to put the Championship side ahead at Deepdale.
Oh, and he then smashed his face open and required medical treatment, before playing the majority of the match with a bandage around his head, Terry Butcher-style. Not his day.
THE ORIGINAL INVINCIBLE VS THE OTHER INVINCIBLES
When the term 'Invincibles' is brought up, more often than not your mind will travel back to the 2003-04 season, when Arsenal went 49 games unbeaten on their way to winning the Premier League title.
In reality though, Preston North End are the originals. Back at the end of the 19th century, they went 27 games unbeaten to win the league and FA Cup, not tasting defeat for the entirety of the 1888-89 season - the first club ever to do so.
So Saturday night was a coming together of the first and the last invincibles, with Wenger still at the helm of the latter.
Preston's Invincibles pose for a photo at the end of the season... just look at those moustaches
Arsenal's modern-day Invincibles celebrate winning the 2003-04 title with a bus parade
WENGER'S IMPRESSIVE THIRD ROUND RECORD
Arsenal boss Wenger picks up his fair share of criticism nowadays, with the north London club having not won a Premier League title since 2004.
That said, his FA Cup history is formidable... six trophies, two of which coming in the last three seasons. Perhaps more remarkably, going into Saturday's game, he had NEVER lost in the third round. That's right... never. Not once.
That's 20 seasons, and 20 times he has steered his side through to the fourth round. Inevitably, just seconds after the BT Sport commentator had waxed lyrical about it on Saturday night, Robinson put Preston ahead and risked Wenger's record.
Aaron Ramsey and Giroud saved the Frenchman in the second half though, and the record rolls on... 21 and counting for Wenger in the third round.
Arsene Wenger gestures to his players from the touchline, as Simon Grayson watches on
Wenger has won six FA Cups at Arsenal, and never lost in 21 third round matches... impressive!
FAMOUS FACE IN THE CROWD
Although more renowned for his work in a different sport to football, Freddie Flintoff always has been and always will be Preston through-and-through.
He was born there, he grew up there... and he was even awarded the Freedom of the City after winning the Ashes with England in 2005.
Therefore, it was perhaps no surprise to see him in the stands at Deepdale, with a Preston scarf draped around his neck for their tie against Arsenal.
The League Of Their Own stalwart wore a flat cap (could he get more Northern?), and sat beside his son to watch the fascinating third round tie on Saturday night.
The eventual defeat means Arsenal-supporting friend Jack Whitehall takes home the bragging rights, though.
Freddie Flintoff was spotted watching Preston take on Arsenal from the stands at Deepdale
The former cricketer is Preston through-and-through, and even has Freedom of the City
WELCOME BACK, WELBECK
After almost eight months to the day - 244 days, to be precise - Saturday night saw the welcome return of Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck.
He hasn't played since May 8 with a knee cartilage injury, but he was back fighting fit for the final eight minutes against Preston.
A nice touch, as well, for him to make his return against a former club, albeit one he only made a handful appearances at on loan.
It was almost the perfect return for the England man, as he saw a shot tipped over the bar with just seconds remaining in the match. Here's hoping he can stay fit.
Danny Welbeck replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to make his return to action on Saturday
The striker has been out for eight months and almost scored within minutes of returning
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