Football.London discusses some key talking points following Arsenal's crucial, scrappy 2-1 Premier League win over Wolves
Ryan Taylor
22:04, 13 Dec 2025Updated 22:06, 13 Dec 2025
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Arsenal snatched a winner deep into stoppage time to beat Wolves
Two own goals including Yerson Mosquera's unfortunate header saw Arsenal pick up arguably their most-important victory of the season in a dramatic encounter against Wolves.
Here are some talking points from the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners left it late to restore their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Why Arteta celebrated Arsenal goals differently
There was quite the contrast between each of Mikel Arteta's goal celebrations.
Usually when Arsenal score, particularly to break the deadlock, Mikel Arteta explodes like a madman but after the opener he was reasonably muted.
Of course, that was not the case when Yerson Mosquera headed past his own goalkeeper in stoppage time when he went berserk.
Arsenal were nowhere near their best but they got the job done and these are the kind of ugly wins that win you titles.
Perhaps Arteta was ahead of the curve because he really did not get carried away for the first goal.
Unsurprisingly he breathed a huge sigh of relief because the way the game was going, you began to wonder whether Arsenal were set to drop points.
The manner of the goal is perhaps what shocked Arteta because it was a fortuitous one as Bukayo Saka's corner hit the post before going in off the back of Sam Johnstone.
Nonetheless, it really doesn't matter how they go in, as long as they do and this was an absolutely crucial victory for the Gunners.
Arteta had just been chatting to Gabriel Heinze, presumably about what to do next in search of the opener.
Arsenal had just one sub left at the time and it was nearly time to throw the kitchen sink for the winner. Ironically, it was his final sub Gabriel Jesus that was central to victory.
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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores the first goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Another awkward Gyokeres display
Viktor Gyokeres was perhaps fortunate to keep his place in the starting XI following the Champions League win at Club Brugge following Gabriel Jesus' classy cameo from the bench.
Mikel Merino has also been firing on all cylinders when playing as a centre-forward.
These are the kind of matches on paper where theoretically, Gyokeres should fill his boots but he struggles to find space.
There also wasn't a great deal of service outside of one sublime low ball from Bukayo Saka that rolled across the face of goal.
Gyokeres was flatfooted and it should really have been a tap-in.
During the first half the Swede had just five touches, it was the lowest total by any player on the pitch by some distance.
Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen was next with 12.
The former Sporting CP goal machine went close with a glancing header but he doesn't seem to suit playing against low blocks where there's minimal space to move.
Wolves defender Emmanuel Agbadou largely got the better of him, physically too.
In Portugal Gyokeres always operated best when he was bursting into space and facing goal. In the Premier League, so far he's had to do a lot of work with his back to goal and that just isn't his game.
He did improve in the second half and almost grabbed a goal with a shot that flashed wide but sometimes, he needs to simplify things.
Bukayo Saka
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Bukayo Saka created the opening goal for Arsenal
Long-throw obsession not working
Earlier this month, Arteta had challenged Declan Rice to channel his inner Michael Kayode.
The Brentford right-back has wreaked havoc this season with his long throws and Rice has tried to follow suit - except it just hasn't been working.
Arteta said when asked if Rice could become as good as Kayode: “Who is? Everything has to evolve. I don’t know how good [Kayode] was a year ago, or two years ago or three years ago. I know how good Declan was at taking set pieces three or four years ago and I know how good he is now.
“It does not happen overnight. Things have to be trained, evolved and tweaked. And the player has to believe as well, which is key. When you look at Declan, he can do almost everything you require him to do.”
To date, it's caused the Gunners more harm than good because twice during the first half, Wolves had the chance to counter and looked really threatening.
With all due respect to Rice, who such a wonderfully well-rounded player, his throws are hardly a weapon of mass destruction and given the quality Arsenal have in their side, you'd back them to recycle the ball far more effectively if they just went short and kept it moving forward.
Ben White
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Ben White was forced off with a hamstring injury
Positive White sign
The fact Ben White walked off the pitch unassisted must be viewed positively, even if he did feel something in his hamstring.
White pulled up as Arsenal chased back after Hwang Hee-chan. Once checked over, the call was quickly made that he'd be replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
However, White was chatting to physio Simon Murphy on the pitch and the pair were in dialogue for a while as MLS stripped off.
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There did not appear to be any huge alarm or concern amongst the duo, more a case of potential tightness.
White has spent the crux of the season watching on from the sidelines in the Premier League but he's now started the past four matches in all competitions and that is a significantly increased load.
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