Arsenal draw with Wolves and give Manchester City a huge boost in the Premier League title race

Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead over last-place Wolves on Wednesday to hand Manchester City a huge boost in the race for the Premier League title.

The league leaders were held to a surprise 2-2 draw at Molineux after leading 2-0 in the second half.

Teenage debutant Tom Edozie scored in the fourth minute of extra time to complete Wolves’ comeback.

«There was a big difference in the way we played in the first half and the second half. We dropped our standards and were punished for it,» Arsenal striker Bukayo Saka told the BBC.

The draw means Arsenal have dropped points in successive games and are just five ahead of second-placed City after playing a game more.

With the top two yet to play each other at City’s Etihad Stadium, the title race is too close to call.

“(It is) time to focus on ourselves, improve our standards and improve our performance, and that is within our control,” Saka said.

Arsenal have led for most of the season, with one bookmaker paying the title to Mikel Arteta’s side after building a nine-point lead earlier this month.

But Wednesday’s result was the latest sign that it is feeling the pressure, having finished second in each of the past three seasons. Only two of the last seven league matches were won.

After taking a lead against Brentford last week, things were even worse against a Wolves team who have won just one game all season.

The win looked all but secured after Saka put Arsenal ahead with a header in the fifth minute and Piero Hincapie drove through to score in the second in the 56th.

But Wolves’ battle started with Hugo Bueno’s curling shot into the top corner in the 61st.

19-year-old Edozie came on as a substitute in the 84th and his effort earned the home side just their tenth point in a season that would surely end in relegation. While it did little to help Wolves’ chances of survival, it could have had a big impact at the top of the table.

“Incredibly disappointed that we gave away two points,” said Arteta. «I think we have to blame ourselves and give credit to Wolves. But what we did in the second half was not close to our standards that we have to play to win a game in the Premier League.»

“If you don’t perform you can be punished, and we have been punished and we have to take the blows because that can happen when you are at the top.»

Arsenal plays against Tottenham on Sunday. If City beat Newcastle on Saturday, their lead could be cut to two points before the match gets underway.

Published on February 19, 2026