Liam Duckstein
Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title race slipped further after a stunning collapse at Wolves—leaving their fate uncomfortably in Manchester City’s hands.
The Gunners squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against the league’s bottom side, a result that has reignited doubts about their mental resilience in the final stretch. With 11 games remaining, Mikel Arteta’s side now trail leaders Liverpool by two points—but City, five points adrift, hold the advantage if they win their remaining fixtures, including a crucial home clash against Arsenal.
‘That word bottle will be used’
Former Arsenal forward Alan Smith didn’t mince words after the final whistle. “That word bottle will be used quite a bit in the next few days,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s in Manchester City’s hands now. With their experience and Guardiola’s know-how, they’ll fancy their chances. They can almost feel the nerves from Arsenal.”
The Gunners had looked in control when Piero Hincapié doubled Bukayo Saka’s early opener. But Wolves, winless in their last nine, fought back with spirit—Hugo Bueno curling in a 20-yard stunner before Tom Edozie, a 19-year-old debutant, capitalised on a David Raya–Gabriel mix-up to equalise in stoppage time.
It was the first time in Premier League history a bottom-placed team had avoided defeat after trailing the leaders by two or more goals. For Arsenal, it was another chapter in a familiar script—three straight runners-up finishes, two to Pep Guardiola’s City.
Arteta: ‘We deserve the criticism’
Mikel Arteta didn’t shy away from the backlash. “Any opinion, take it on the chin,” he said. “Any bullet, take it. We didn’t perform at the level required. The way to respond is on the pitch on Sunday [against Spurs].”
Wolves boss Rob Edwards admitted his side exploited Arsenal’s pressure. “We knew there’s massive pressure on them,” he said. “We capitalised.”
The Gunners have won just two of their last seven league games, dropping seven points from winning positions—only Crystal Palace and West Ham have fared worse in 2026. Saka, who ended a 15-game goal drought before the match, was blunt in his assessment. “We dropped our standards big time and got punished for it.”
“Disappointed, not much else to say. It’s time to reflect, fix the issues, and get back to winning. We’ve lost momentum—we need to find it again.”
Bukayo Saka
North London derby looms
Arsenal’s next test is a fiery Tottenham clash on Sunday, with new manager Igor Tudor hoping to engineer a ‘new manager bounce’. Arteta knows the stakes. “We need to go through the pain, look in the mirror, and understand what the game requires,” he said. “Anything we say now is just noise—we have to show it on the pitch.”
The title race is no longer just about Arsenal’s form. It’s about whether City stumble—and whether the Gunners can rediscover their ruthlessness before it’s too late.