Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points with a tense 2-1 win over bottom-placed Wolves on Saturday. The match, played at the Emirates Stadium, featured two own goals for the Gunners and a late equalizer from the visitors before a stoppage-time winner. Mikel Arteta admitted his side needs to improve despite the result.
Match Overview
Arsenal hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 13, 2025, in a Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners, leading the table by two points before kick-off, faced a defensively disciplined Wolves side that started the day at the bottom with just two points from 15 games.
The first half ended goalless, with Arsenal dominating possession but struggling to create clear chances. Jurrien Timber headed narrowly over from Bukayo Saka's cross early on, while Gabriel Martinelli missed two close-range opportunities. Wolves, sitting deep, threatened on the counter, with Hee-chan Hwang's shot saved comfortably by David Raya.
Second-Half Drama
After the break, Arsenal improved but remained frustrated. Declan Rice's free-kick sailed inches over, and his curling shot was well saved by Sam Johnstone. The breakthrough came around the 70th minute when Saka's in-swinging corner hit the post, then Johnstone's shoulder, resulting in an own goal that gave Arsenal a 1-0 lead.
Wolves thought they had earned a point in the 90th minute when substitute Tolu Arokodare headed in from Mateus Mane's delivery, leveling the score at 1-1. However, moments later in the 94th minute, Saka's cross was flicked on by substitute Gabriel Jesus, leading to an own goal by Yerson Mosquera that secured the win for Arsenal.
Arsenal defender Ben White suffered a hamstring injury in the first half during a sprint back to stop a counter and was substituted by Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arteta provided a cautious update post-match, saying, 'We don't know. He felt something in his hamstring, and we'll have to wait and see. But it's not good news.'
Arteta's Assessment
Despite the victory, Arteta was critical of his team's performance. 'We knew it was going to be a tough match especially because we didn’t manage to score early in the game,' he told TNT Sports. 'We did a bit better in the second-half, managed to score but then we had a period of three minutes, so passive, really poor defensive habits. It’s not acceptable for us at that level.' He added that the win provides belief ahead of a busy schedule: 'It always gives you belief that you can always find a solution.'
The result preserved Arsenal's unbeaten record against teams starting at the bottom of the table and extended their winning streak against Wolves to nine Premier League games.
