Mikel Arteta on Wednesday said that Arsenal deserve criticism for the self-inflicted wounds that threaten to ruin their English Premier League title bid after the leaders blew a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Goals from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie put Arsenal on course for a victory that would have lifted them seven points clear at the top, but Arteta’s side were caught cold in the closing stages at snowy Molineux, giving second-placed Manchester City renewed hope in the title race.
Hugo Bueno’s superb strike reduced the deficit, before teenage debutant Tom Edozie punished a mix-up between Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and centerback Gabriel Magalhaes to equalize deep into stoppage-time.
Photo: Reuters
For a second successive league game, the Gunners had failed to hold onto a lead following their 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday last week.
City are just five points behind Arsenal and have a game in hand on their rivals, as well as a home game against the Gunners in April.
“Incredibly disappointed. We need to accept it. We need to be critical of ourselves because it was not good enough,” Arteta said. “In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months.”
Having wasted commanding leads in two previous title fights with City, Arteta’s men are in danger of being haunted by the ghost of their past failures.
The north Londoners have dropped 11 points in eight league games this calender year.
Clearly furious with Arsenal’s failure to finish off a Wolves team with just one win in 27 league games this season, Arteta struggled to keep his emotions in check.
“Very tough to accept it. In the second half we did not perform in the way we should and the way we require to win a Premier League match,” he said. “Certain basics we have to do, we did them so poorly one after the other, and then you have no dominance, no control in the game.”
“It is better not to judge it. We are all too emotional about it. You have to take the hit because we deserve it,” he said. “It is very easy with emotion to say things that can damage the team. Everyone wants to do their best.”
Arsenal looked increasingly nervous as the minutes ticked down against Wolves in a clear sign that the league leaders are feeling the pressure of their bid for a first English title since 2003-2004.
Now they must find a way to recover from a significant setback in time for Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham Hotspur, which is followed by a crucial home game against Chelsea on March 1.
“You have to go through tough periods. Today at the last minute, we paid the price. We have to do basic things much better than we have done,” Arteta said.
Arsenal’s frustration boiled over at the final whistle, with Raya and Gabriel exchanging heated words before Gunners striker Gabriel Jesus shoved Wolves’ Yerson Mosquera to the turf.
Asked how he would stop his players from cracking as the pressure mounts, Arteta said: “By staying very close to them and reminding them how good they are.”
“You have to stand up. When you have a moment of difficulty, we have to show how much we want it and how good we are,” he said.
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