Premier League leaders Arsenal FC drew 2-2 away against bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite leading 2-0 after goals from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapié, Mikel Arteta's side allowed the hosts to mount a comeback in the dying minutes. The crucial equalizer for Wolves came in stoppage time, significantly reducing the gap between the Gunners and chasing Manchester City in the race for the English championship.

Leader's missed opportunity

Arsenal, despite leading 2:0, only drew with the league's bottom team, wasting a chance for a seven-point lead over Manchester City.

Edozie's spectacular debut

19-year-old Tom Edozie scored a goal in the 94th minute on his Premier League debut, securing a valuable point for Wolverhampton.

The Gunners' mental problems

The media is once again questioning the mental resilience of Mikel Arteta's players, who have previously lost titles after a series of slip-ups at the end of the season.

The match at Molineux Stadium, played in difficult winter conditions, was supposed to be a routine step for Arsenal towards their first league title in 22 years. The start of the match seemed to confirm these expectations when Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 5th minute. The visitors' dominance was sealed in the 56th minute by Piero Hincapié, who scored his first goal for the London club. At that point, the Gunners were close to extending their lead over Manchester City to seven points, which would have put them in a comfortable position ahead of the crucial phase of the season. The rivalry between Arsenal and Wolverhampton has a long history, with the Wolves repeatedly proving to be an uncomfortable opponent for favorites. Statistics show that while Arsenal has won most recent encounters, Wolverhampton is historically responsible for some of the most spectacular upsets in matches between the league leader and the bottom team.The situation changed dramatically in the final quarter-hour. First, Hugo Bueno scored a consolation goal, and in the 94th minute, 19-year-old debutant Tom Edozie equalized after an unfortunate deflection off Riccardo Calafiori. After the match, manager Mikel Arteta did not hide his disappointment, stating that the team could only blame themselves for glaring errors in basic defensive elements. This draw means their lead over the second-placed team has shrunk to five points, with the Manchester side having a game in hand. „We have to blame ourselves because we did the basic things so poorly that we allowed them back into the game.” — Mikel Arteta[{"side1": "Wolverhampton Wanderers", "side2": "Arsenal FC", "score1": 2, "score2": 2}]94 — minute in which Tom Edozie scored the equalizer for WolvesSoccer experts are starting to use the term "bottle" again, suggesting that Arsenal cannot handle the psychological pressure accompanying the end of the season. This is yet another instance in recent years where the London team has dropped points against theoretically weaker rivals at a crucial moment in the fight for supremacy in England. The tense atmosphere was also visible after the final whistle when clashes occurred between players from both teams, and Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Jesus had to be restrained by their teammates.

Mentioned People

  • Mikel Arteta — Arsenal manager, who in a post-match interview criticized his players' attitude after squandering a two-goal lead.
  • Bukayo Saka — Arsenal winger, scorer of the first goal in the match, who admitted the team lowered their standards of play towards the end.
  • Tom Edozie — Young Wolverhampton forward who scored the sensational equalizer in stoppage time during his debut match.