JESUS. Lucky, lucky Arsenal. And if you needed any proof that their name is surely on the title, this was it.
To deliver your worst performance of the season against the worst team in the Premier League, was just mind-boggling.
A 90th-minute leveller from sub Tolu Arokodare caused mayhem in the away end and little wonder.
Yet incredibly, Gabriel Jesus – back at the Emirates after 11 months out – put pressure on Yersan Mosquera, who diverted Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net.
And abysmal, lethargic Arsenal only took the lead after keeper Sam Johnstone diverted Saka’s corner into the net after the ball hit the post.
This was heart-breaking for Wolves and Rob Edwards, not that any of the home fans cared.
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And you also have to feel desperately sorry for Wolves’ fans who, having been given their third 8pm kick-off on a Saturday in London for a third time this season, were genuinely preparing for only their third point of what has been an embarrassing season. They were properly mugged.
Had Arsenal failed to win this, Manchester City could have gone top with a win at Crystal Palace.
How they managed to win this, despite their luck, is just baffling.
And after just two wins in their previous five games, here was the latest proof that Arsenal are looking a bit jaded and you can why see City have renewed hope.
Arteta was unimpressed throughout. In the second half, he put his head in his hands when Gabriel Martinelli wasted a good chance and fired wide.
On the touchline, Leandro Trossard was already waiting near the bench to replace Martinelli, with Martin Odergaard and Mikel Merino also coming on as a triple substitution.
Even though Arsenal’s fitness issues are improving, there was still an injury with Ben White going off in the first half in what appeared to be a hamstring issue.
There were no positives from this performance, though.
William Saliba was back after being sidelined for four games with an ankle injury while Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice returned after missing the 3-0 win at Club Brugge.
But the fact White suffered another issue in his fourth start in 11 games – after playing little football this season due to injury – is maybe another example of Arteta not properly managing his players’ fitness levels.
Timber played on the right of central defence with Piero Hincapie moving to left back due to Riccardo Calafiori being suspended.
One person who was probably livid was Myles Lewis-Skelly, with the teenage left-back yet to start a Premier League this season, although he arrived as a sub on the half hour due to an injury to the luckless Ben White.
Arsenal were in complete command – although Eberechi Eze somehow escaped a yellow card for kicking Joao Gomes in the face – but they created nothing.
Yet incredibly, it was Wolves who had the first chance despite barely having a kick for the previous 27 minutes.
Wolves cleared a long Rice throw, the home defence had pushed up too high, with Hwang Hee-Chan sprinting clear of five sprinting players only to see his low shot saved by David Raya.
It was one of those nights when Arsenal failed to do the basics right, summed up when Rice’s far post corner fell perfectly for the unmarked Gabriel Martinelli.
But he delivered a totally hopeless header which drifted across the face of the goal and went out for a goal-kick.
Martinelli also had an shot deflected for a corner and then wasted another good chance with a mis-hit volley.
In first half injury time, there was another warning for sloppy Arsenal and they were lucky that Hincapie recovered well after slipping to deliver a goal-saving tackle to block Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Rice, who had been ill during the week, forced a decent one-handed stop from Sam Johnstone.
Yet having saved Wolves with that stop, he then ended up giving Arsenal the lead.
He seemed to get a fingertip to Saka’s corner, it his the post and then the keeper’s arm and into the net.
Not that Arsenal exactly laid siege to the visiting goal once they got their noses in front.
And the biggest cheer was saved for the arrival of Gabriel Jesus, making his first appearance at the Emirates for 11 months having returned in midweek in Belgium.
Jesus replaced Viktor Gyokeres and he ended up as a sort of hero as he played a part in the winner.
But that was only after Wolves thought they had a point when Arokodare beat Hincapie to a cross from Mateus Mane.
But Arsenal got lucky. But if they play like this at Everton next week, they will get stuffed.
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