Arsenal stayed five points clear at the top of the Premier League table after edging Wolves 2–1, but the performance left manager Mikel Arteta far from satisfied. The Gunners needed two own goals to beat the league’s bottom side, and Arteta made it clear the result masked serious problems.

Arteta was especially unhappy with how his team defended late in the game. Arsenal dropped deep after taking the lead and failed to apply enough pressure, allowing Wolves space to attack. That lack of urgency eventually cost them when Tolu Arokodare scored in the 90th minute to level the match. Although Arsenal later grabbed a late winner, Arteta felt his players made the match far more difficult than it needed to be.

He believed Arsenal showed poor defensive habits during a short but costly spell, pointing out that Wolves scored from their first real chance. While Wolves had struggled badly all season, Arsenal allowed them belief by sitting too deep and losing intensity.

The Arsenal boss also admitted his side struggled going forward. Despite controlling large parts of the match, Arsenal failed to create many clear chances. Gabriel Martinelli missed a close-range opportunity, while the team lacked quality in the final third. The Gunners did not register a single shot on target in the first half, something Arteta viewed as unacceptable for a title-chasing side.

Bukayo Saka was heavily involved out wide, but even he struggled to find teammates in the box. New signing Eberechi Eze had little impact before being substituted, while Martin Ødegaard’s introduction did not significantly change the game. Viktor Gyökeres worked hard but again lacked a cutting edge.

Arteta accepted that Wolves deserved credit for their effort, but insisted Arsenal must raise their level quickly if they want to stay ahead in the title race.