Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead and seven-point gap to Manchester City deep into added time as the Premier League’s bottom club Wolves fought back to a 2-2 draw at Molineaux.
Bukayo Saka opened the scoring with a header from point blank range to end his 15-game wait to get back on the scoresheet, his longest goalless run in a Gunners’ shirt, before Piero Hincapié doubled the advantage after half time.
Yet Hugo Bueno provided a lifeline with a brilliant curling effort before David Raya dropped the ball in the box and substitute Tom Edozie’s shot struck the post and rolled in off of Ricardo Calafiori.
As it happened
Arsenal hadn’t scored in the opening five minutes of a top flight game for two years, but took immediate control of proceedings when Declan Rice was given far too much time to bend an accurate cross into Saka.
The England international weaved his way into the six yard box undetected and headed under the body of home goalkeeper José Sá and into the net in for his eighth goal in all competitions this season.
Rice then went close to a second just three minutes later after Wolves conceded possession too easily inside their own half and the midfielder was fed the ball by Viktor Gyökeres, but curled his low effort wide.
Rob Edwards suffered a blow as new signing Angel Gomes hobbled off injured part-way through the first half, to compound the fact his side had mustered next to nothing in the final third.
It took the hosts 46 minutes to register a shot on target as Andre shot wide from the edge of the box, moments before penalty appeals were waived away for his challenge on Hincapié after a swift counter-attack.
Wolves made a much brighter start to the second half, and new signing Adam Armstrong wasn’t far from a spectacular equalizer when he fired a powerful strike from range just over the bar with his left foot.
But their spell was seemingly short lifted as left-back Hincapié delayed his run in behind the home side’s defense onto Gabriel’s through ball and blasted a shot past Sá and into the roof of the net, yet the flag raised for offside.
The video assistant referee took its time to review the footage, and eventually ruled that the assistant referee’s call was in error before reinstating the Ecuadorian’s goal.
But two of Wolves’ Buenos combined on the hour mark to haul them back into the game, as centre-back Santiago found left wing-back Hugo and the Spaniard curled home brilliantly with his left foot.
The visitors had their tails up at times with the end of the game approaching and did their best to run the clock down, but it would be made irrelevant as Gabriel competed for the same cross with his goalkeeper Raya.
Arsenal’s number one dropped the ball, allowing substitute Edozie the chance to lash a shot towards goal, which struck the post and rebounded off of Calafiori and into the net to stun the Gunners.
It meant Arteta’s side missed the opportunity to go seven points clear at the top of the league, and that Manchester City could go within just two with a victory away to Leeds at the weekend.
Wolves remained rooted to the foot of the table, 17 points behind Nottingham Forest, but certainly took some enjoyment from causing the latest dramatic twist in the title race.
Arsenal analysis: is Saka’s new position a permanent one?
Remember that time Wales legend Gareth Bale was playing as a wing back for Southampton? Neither. It’s likely that Bukayo Saka’s exploits out wide won’t be lost to the mists of time anywhere near as easily, the real question is whether his move into the number 10 position will be a permanent one.
Players in this area are expected to prioritize scoring goals above most, if not all attacking returns depending on the tactical system. Saka’s scoring ability and exemplary off-the-ball movement were already common knowledge, and he put it to good use in timing his run in behind the Wolves defense to perfection before heading in the opener.
And as BBC Sport picked up on in their analysis of Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Wigan in the FA Cup, Saka’s position often seemed interchangeable with Noni Madueke, also a dangerous winger in front of goal, who found space in the channel after his teammate drifted out wide and dragged an opposition player with him.
Wolves had good reason to do this, with Saka’s speed and ball carrying ability in tight spaces able to threaten the world’s very best defenses, let alone the weakest team in the Premier League by some distance.
Saka operating principally from the middle, yet having a license to move wherever he seems fit to open up space for his teammates, could prove highly beneficial given Mikel Arteta’s means-tested system in which any of his front three or midfield personnel are able to find the net.
This might also come to Arteta’s relief if it works against higher quality opposition, with the only tangible criticism of his otherwise impeccable Gunners this season being their over-reliance on set-pieces and preference to control matches before they are actually won.
In plain terms, not only does it give Saka the chance to add to, by his past standards, a slightly underwhelming goal tally in 2025/26, it also opens up space in the starting lineup for Madueke. With two goals and one assist in 772 Premier League minutes, the World Cup hopeful has shown much promise with his limited time on the pitch and is well worth a test as a core member of the team.
But with natural attacking midfielder Ebere Eze and Brazilian talisman Gabriel Jesus making cameos off the bench, who can and have made useful contributions in their respective positions this season, there are many external factors that could determine where Saka finds himself on the pitch just as much as his future performances.
Wolves analysis: a good show of character, but character won’t be enough
It was the same old story for Wolves for much of the game: muddled in their shape off the ball, seemingly eager to press yet unable to make the ground when undone at one moment, then sit compact behind the ball only to lose their men time and time again, and passive up top.
Their first shot of the game arrived after 46 minutes, and Hugo Bueno had to take matters into his own hands with a brilliant effort from distance to beat David Raya – but they simply won’t be allowed these kinds of chance on a regular basis, and must carve opportunities out for themselves.
At half time, former Gunner Paul Merson suggested on Sky Sports that Wolves could be happy going into half time just the goal down and that Arsenal didn’t capitalize on their poor display and kill the game off early.
If it’s any consolation for their supporters, Wolves improved in the second half and gave Arsenal some defending to do – but it was scrappy, speculative, and largely incohesive going forward.
It took a moment of miscommunication from David Raya for the home side to have a shot at drawing, and while credit is due for keeping themselves in the fight against the top flight’s top team it won’t suffice if they are to complete the greatest escape the league has ever seen.