Arsenal clinched a narrow 2-1 win over Wolves on Saturday night to extend their lead at the summit of the Premier League table
Hannah Pinnock
10:12, 14 Dec 2025
Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Premier League match against Wolves
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Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Premier League match against Wolves(Image: Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was left frustrated despite the Gunners' last-gasp 2-1 triumph over Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday night.
Mikel Arteta 's side currently lead the charge in the title race but appeared to be heading towards a draw following a relatively subdued performance against the bottom-placed team at the Emirates. It took until the 70th minute for the deadlock to finally be broken, as Bukayo Saka 's corner was turned into the net by Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
The Gunners suffered a late setback as the visitors levelled the scoreline in the 90th minute, courtesy of a goal from summer signing Tolu Arokodare. All three points were ultimately claimed, however, as Gabriel Jesus clinched the winner, although it officially went down as another own goal, this time off Yerson Mosquera.
Another victory means Arsenal have extended their lead over Manchester City at the top of the table to five points, although Pep Guardiola's side can reduce the deficit back to two with a win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. The fine margins at the top of the table only emphasise just how crucial the win was for Arsenal this weekend.
That said, despite the positive result, Rice appeared to be left frustrated by the team's overall performance as they made their way off the pitch at the full-time whistle. In a clip shared on social media on Saturday evening, the England international is approached by injured teammate Gabriel, but he was not in the mood for celebrations, with the exchange brief before he headed straight for the tunnel.
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Rice has been a standout performer for Arsenal so far this term, having started all but one of their league matches to date. He has scored two goals and registered four assists in that time, with his most recent goal contribution coming in the win against Tottenham at the end of November.
Critics would argue the display against Wolves was not necessarily befitting of champions, not least because it took two own goals to get over the line. The Gunners also registered a limited number of attempts on target before the deadlock was finally broken in the final 20 minutes.
Rice's reluctance to celebrate such a win only serves to underscore the standards and level of expectation he holds for himself and his teammates. He will know they can only afford so many near-misses before sub-par performances begin to reflect in their points tally.
It should also be said that Arteta himself was less than impressed with the display, particularly from a defensive standpoint following Wolves' initial equaliser. "We made it harder for ourselves with how we conceded the goal and that was unacceptable," the manager said post-match.
"Horrible defensive habits. It was nowhere near the level required."
Arsenal now have a week to prepare for their trip to face Everton next Saturday. They then face a tricky run of games, which includes a Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace, as well as home matches against Brighton and Aston Villa.
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While frustration from both Rice and the manager was clear on Saturday night, Arsenal arguably showed great resilience to fight back and ensure they walked away with all three points. Now, they must carry that attitude into their upcoming fixtures to ensure City cannot close the gap entirely in the title race.
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