WORDS OF COMFORT ... Cesc Fabregas checks on Eduardo as the injured striker is carried off
IT was the scene of the most horrifying moment in the career of Cesc Fabregas.
And also the place where another Arsenal league-title challenge crashed and burned.
But two years on, the Gunners captain returns to St Andrew's - not driven by revenge or bitterness.
He just has total belief that today's clash with Birmingham will be memorable for all the right reasons as Arsenal move another step closer to their Premier League dream.
It is not that the sickening events of February 23, 2008, have been forgotten, they never will be.
How can you banish the memory of that stomach-churning injury to striker Eduardo after Martin Taylor's challenge?
How can you fail to recall the infamous tantrum thrown by William Gallas as Birmingham were awarded an injury-time penalty - or how James McFadden buried the spot-kick and, with it, Arsenal's title hopes?
It was a match packed with incomparable controversy and consequence.
So no, it is not forgotten - but it has all been forgiven.
Fabregas told SunSport: "This is a big day for all of us but it has nothing to do with what happened two years ago - that is all finished now.
"Yes it was a very, very bad injury for Eduardo and a very difficult moment for Arsenal Football Club.
"And from that day everything changed for us - that's true.
"We were top of the league and everything was going so well. But then . . ."
Fabregas paused mid-sentence as he briefly recalled that fateful day and all its ramifications.
Then he added: "But we are not the kind of people who dwell on two years ago and all that happened there.
"Eduardo is well again, he's back playing again.
"So for us it's all about right now and the future - not going back into the past. It is a big game for other reasons now - not for revenge but for something more important than that. It's because we want to win the league, not settle old scores."
Fabregas knows victory will not come easily, though, and will tell his team-mates they will have to fight all the way to claim three vital points.
He added: "I remember it was a difficult game at the Emirates until Andrey Arshavin scored in the last five minutes to make it 3-1 to us.
"So we cannot count on three points, we have to go out and get them.
"Birmingham are playing well this season, I like their style.
"They're always attacking and trying to play and they have good players, good fans and a good stadium.
"But we are in a good moment with things going well for us and, at this stage of the season, it is simple - it's a case of win or win.
"Nothing else will do and it doesn't matter how we win, just as long as we win. Obviously it's good to play well, to play attractive, entertaining football. We pride ourselves on that at Arsenal.
"But there are three teams trying to win the league and ask any one of them what's the most important thing - they'll all say to win!
"I didn't always believe that but I have learned in the last three years that it's true - it is more important to win, win, win.
"Because if we do win the Premier League I don't think everyone will remember the way we played, they'll just remember we were champions."
Fabregas is reluctant to look too far ahead, even with a league crown now looming so large on the horizon.
The Spanish ace, 22, explained: "I don't like to think about things that haven't happened yet. There's a lot of work to do still.
"Yes, we are getting closer. Yes, we can do it for sure now and yes, of course we believe. It's a very exciting time.
"The intensity, the pressure is getting higher and higher but not just for us - for Man United and Chelsea too, for the teams at the bottom trying to survive, for the teams trying to make it into Europe.
"So we know it will be really difficult but I still love this part of the season. Every game means so much now to everybody.
"I know we can take nothing for granted.
"I certainly don't believe all this talk that we have the easy run-in, we won't fall for that one.
"We know every game from now on will determine whether we will be champions or not.
"We know that, in the same way that we came back from 11 points behind, we can lose all that we've done since just as quickly."
Skipper Fabregas has no intention of allowing that to happen, he is driving his team onwards and upwards.
And, in an ultra-positive mood, he concluded: "If in the end we do finish top and are champions then no one can say we don't deserve it.
"OK, Man United and Chelsea both beat us convincingly and that hurt.
"But the team that wins the league deserves to win it. The table doesn't lie and if you are top after 38 games it means you deserve to be there.
"If it is United, Chelsea or ourselves who are top at the end, then they will be worthy champions. I just hope it is us!"
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