Arsenal 3 AC Milan 0: Arsene Wenger's emperors of effort restore belief to the Emirates Wenger had seen the signs against Liverpool on Saturday. Writing in the programme he said that "showing the sort of character we showed at Anfield is even more important than dominating matches." But even that match had not led many to share the manager's certainty. That had been the Van Persie show. Here, his team-mates joined in the demonstration of character. Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were all magnificent, filled with enterprise and endeavour. "Comeback Kings" was the optimistic headline on the front of the programme. Well, this was a performance by the emperors of effort. Indeed, when the Arsenal historians come to write up this season, this tie could serve as the perfect summation: rubbish one minute, world beaters the next. Milan came to London with all the advantages. They bristled with talent, even if their numbering system (Robinho was wearing 70, Stephan El Shaarawy 98) appeared to be inspired by a takeaway menu. Leading by four, they did not look like a side about to crumble. But how looks can be deceptive. In that first half, the Italians rocked like heavyweights on the ropes. And it was Van Persie who had orchestrated the pounding. His penalty, hit hard, high and unreachable, was as demonstrative a call to arms as you could imagine. This was a captain who, having righted the listing ship, was not going to desert now it was steaming full ahead. It all meant the second half was one of chewed nails and awful, gnawing possibility. The crowd lived every tackle, fretted every moment, groaned at every misplaced pass. "Stand up if you still believe," came the cry from the Clock End, even as the hands on the clock above moved towards the conclusion at a speed not even Walcott could match. Hope, however, did not translate into progress in the competition. But at least Wenger could savour this certainty: belief - in him, his team and his notion of character - had been restored.