Arsene Wenger watched on from the directors' box at St. Mary's as Arsenal thrashed Southampton 5-0 in the FA Cup fourth round.
The Frenchman was serving the first of a four-match touchline ban for pushing fourth official Anthony Taylor during the frenzied 2-1 win over Burnley last weekend.
Wenger handed Danny Welbeck a first start since May as both sides made 10 changes for the Cup tie on the south coast.
Welbeck repaid his manager's favour by firing a classy double before laying on Theo Walcott's first. Alexis Sanchez then set up Walcott twice more as the England international completed his hat-trick, but Wenger focused on Welbeck's return after the full-time whistle.
Asked if he had feared Welbeck may never recover full sharpness, Wenger said: "You do wonder: I wondered first of all would he be solid enough mentally to cope with that.
"Then secondly you hope he will go well after he comes back after the second surgery.
In Pictures | Southampton vs Arsenal | 28/01/2017
"He worked very hard, he went through some moments of very deep disappointment. Because when he had the setback and he had to go in again, as a professional player that's very difficult.
"But he became even more resilient and worked even harder.
"He's highly respected inside the club because he's shown so much dedication.
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