Arsenal vs Wolves provided late drama, raw emotions and a decisive twist that has the potential to define the title race in the Premier League, as the league leaders won a madcap 2-1 fake-goal at Emirates Stadium. A night when it was a matter of patience and nerves, Mikel Arteta and his side managed to come out victorious having delivered one of the least fluent performances they have had this season.

Since the very first whistle, Arsenal had to face the same issue. At the very bottom of the table, the winless wolves came with a miserably deep five man defensive line that was aimed at frustrating, slowing the tempo, and depriving space between lines. The initial case is that Arsenal controlled possession but could not penetrate, passing the ball without challenging goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Wolves seized a rhythm opportunity anytime they had a chance and disrupted play and restricted clear chances, and the hosts could not manage to score a single shot on target by the end of the first half.

After half time, however, Arsenal pressed the button a bit harder. The attack tightened, the pressure increased, and Bukayo Saka started to exercise himself on the right wing. The breakthrough came still during the 70 th minute and it came in auspicious conditions. This curling corner by Saka made Johnstone awkwardly save leading to the ball hitting the post and against the back of the goalkeeper and finally rolling into the net. The stadium would have breathed relief after Arsenal has finally managed to overcome the defense of Wolves.

Arsenal retired, however, instead of murdering the game. The move to safeguard the slender lead welcomed stress and enabled Wolves to develop in faith. The visitors tried to force equaliser later on with long balls and crosses, and it was rewarded, at last, in the 90th minute. Mateus Mane came out on the right and Tolu Arokodare lifted himself up to beat the goalkeeper of the Arsenal, silencing the crowd in the Emirates, and creating scenes of disbelief among the spectators.

It was then seen that Arsenal had given the initiative back to the title race back to the hands of Manchester City. The home crowd was on the nerves at the time, especially given that late concessions were still a fresh bitter experience. Nevertheless, the play was not ended. Saka was once again decisive in the last moments in stoppage time. Going in on the right and inside, he formed a threatening cross to Gabriel Jesus and in the stress took the form of a header by defender Yerson Mosquera who opted to send the ball outside his own goalkeeper. The Emirates burst out since the Arsenal took back the lead in the most unprecedented way.

Arteta subsequently referred to the evening as a rollercoaster which included the mental pressure, but also the strength of his players. He acknowledged that Arsenal had given Wolves hope by letting the game drag on but he praised his team in the manner in which they managed to win when the loss was about to engulf them. The win saw Arsenal extend their top five-point gap in the Premier League but there was a fear that Ben White, who sustained a hamstring injury early on and had to be taken off in the first half.

The performance was questionable as Arsenal celebrated the points. Their low-block resistance activities were revisited, and the nervousness in the final phases was indicative of a group that is yet to learn how to handle the learn curve when it comes to dealing with the pressure of a title race. Dropped points in the recent past have made each second count as heavier and you could see the tension being there on the field and in the crowd.

The loss was inhuman to Wolves. The side being coordinated by Rob Edwards played their game according to their plan where they defended deep and attacked late whenever there was the chance to do that. The header by Arokodare was a rare attacking quality display and at one time, Wolves were about to secure a game-inspiring draw. Rather, it was a further failure to the ever-growing sombre history. With no victory in 20 games in the Premier League and 9 defeats in a row, it does not seem that they will survive, as the margin to the security level is increasingly growing.

Eventually, Arsenal vs Wolves was not the demonstration of decisiveness, as it was a reminder that champions frequently play ugly. To Arsenal, these three points can be a treasure trove in the impending crucial point of the season, whereas to Wolves, in its quest to find a belief system, relegation is approaching by each passing minute.