The first forty-five minutes ended not with a climax but with a sense of unfinished business, and the reactions from around Villa Park showed just how split the feelings were.
As the whistle blew prematurely, Arsenal's coaching staff erupted from the bench, arms flung in the air.
Players looked around in confusion. Some paused mid-run. Others threw their arms out.
On the pitch, Martin Ødegaard pointed to the scoreboard, then toward the halfway line, visibly arguing the point.
Havertz muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he slowly walked off.
Even Ben white offered a rare protest, stopping to speak to the referee before getting waved away.
But none of that mattered. The referee had already turned his back, disappearing down the tunnel like a man eager to escape a storm.
The reaction from the away section of Arsenal fans was immediate.
Boos cascaded down from the corner of the Doug Ellis Stand where they were concentrated.
