On a day when the Gunners were largely off colour, Cech set a platform that meant Arsenal only needed to score once to win, with Laurent Koscielny stabbing in the winner from close range in the 72nd minute.
It was the kind of match that champions win when not at their best and Arsenal have certainly benefitted from Cech’s presence this season.
The Czech is a serial winner after 11 trophy-laden years at Chelsea and, in a position where you cannot afford to make mistakes, is astonishingly consistent. It looks like that has rubbed off on a squad that seems mentally tougher than in recent campaigns.
Cech's mere presence provides assurance to the back four and so often this season he has made vital saves when Arsenal have needed him.
On Saturday, he came out on top in a personal battle with Wijnaldum, three times keeping out efforts from the Dutchman.
Each save was better than the last. In the first-half, Cech scrambled across his goal to claw away Wijnaldum’s header from 12 yards before superbly smothering at the Newcastle man’s feet just before the break.
The best of the lot came early in the second-half, with Cech saving with his legs when Wijnaldum looked almost certain to score.
A lesser goalkeeper like David Ospina or Wojciech Szczesny would surely have conceded one of those chances, but Cech is remarkable for his consistency as much as anything else.
"There is obviously talk of Arsenal signing Petr and if they do get Pete, that will strengthen them for sure. He will save them 12 to 15 points a season," said Terry last summer.
He has been proved entirely right and those points could be just as important to Arsenal’s title hopes as Ozil’s sublime skill.
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