Mikel Arteta urges unity as Arsenal title charge falters after Wolves draw

• Arsenal dropped more crucial points in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Wolves.
• Mikel Arteta called on his players to stay united amid growing title pressure.
• Manchester City closed the gap to five points with a game in hand.

Mikel Arteta has called for unity inside the Arsenal camp after the Gunners suffered another damaging setback in their Premier League title pursuit with a 2-2 draw away at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arsenal looked set for a routine victory at Molineux after goals from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapié put them two goals clear. However, Wolves mounted a spirited comeback through strikes from Hugo Bueno and Tom Edozie, leaving the league leaders frustrated and under mounting pressure.

The result followed a draw against Brentford in their previous outing, meaning Arsenal have now won just two of their last seven league matches. With Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City sitting five points behind with a game in hand, the title race has tightened significantly once again.

Speaking after the match, Arteta insisted his players deserve backing rather than criticism.

“I’m going to be the first one to be close with them because it has nothing to do with attitude or desire — it’s the complete opposite,” he said.

“It’s part of football. Where it could have gone wrong today, it went wrong. If you look at the way we conceded the two goals without conceding any other situations, it’s very rare, but it happens. We have to react.”

Arsenal now face a crucial north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with Spurs under new head coach Igor Tudor. Arteta believes the pain of the Wolves result must fuel his side’s response.

“We need to go through the pain, look in the mirror, understand what the game requires now, and take that into Sunday,” he added. “We need to keep it inside to show it on the pitch.”

Saka marked his new five-year contract with his first league goal of 2026 and his first in 11 matches, but admitted the mood in the camp was subdued.

“It’s pretty flat. We’re really disappointed,” he said. “In the first half we started so well, but in the second half we dropped the level and got punished.”

Despite the setback, Saka remains optimistic about Arsenal’s title chances.

“It’s still in our control. We just need to fix the issues and get back to winning ways,” he added.

From Wolves’ perspective, striker Adam Armstrong praised the resilience shown by Rob Edwards’ side, who remain near the foot of the table but claimed a valuable point in their survival battle.

“We know how good Arsenal are, but we believed we could get something,” Armstrong said. “To come back from 2-0 is incredible. If we play like that every game, we’ll give ourselves a real chance.”

The draw had major implications at both ends of the table, denting Arsenal’s title momentum while providing Wolves with renewed belief in their fight to stay in the Premier League.

WRITTEN BY

Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.

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