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A Draw That Feels Like a Defeat for Arsenal Against Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Wanderers reignited the Premier League title race after scoring a dramatic equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw against league leaders Arsenal.

Arsenal went into the match sitting top of the table with 58 points from 27 matches, holding a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand. The encounter represented a golden opportunity to extend their advantage and move one step closer to the title.

In contrast, Wolverhampton were fighting for survival, having collected just nine points prior to kick-off. The draw lifted them to 10 points, though they remained uncomfortably close to Derby County’s unwanted record for the lowest points tally in a single Premier League season.

The visitors made a perfect start on a cold night in the West Midlands, opening the scoring after just four minutes. Declan Rice delivered an excellent lofted ball into the penalty area, where Bukayo Saka rose highest to head home, ending a 16-match goal drought. The goal lifted Arsenal’s spirits, particularly as Saka was also celebrating the signing of a new five-year contract.

Arsenal continued to press, and early in the second half appeared to have sealed the result when Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié doubled the lead in the 55th minute. Latching onto a precise pass from Brazilian defender Gabriel, he cleverly lifted the ball over Portuguese goalkeeper José Sá to make it 2-0 and seemingly put the three points within reach.

However, despite their difficult league position, Wolves refused to surrender. Uruguayan full-back Hugo Bueno pulled one back with a stunning strike from outside the box, finding space on the edge of the area before curling a superb effort into the top corner to score his first league goal and reignite hope among the home supporters.

As full-time approached, Arsenal looked set to hold on, but the final moments produced a dramatic twist. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Spanish goalkeeper David Raya failed to deal with a cross, allowing the ball to fall kindly for 19-year-old Tom Edozie. The youngster struck a low shot that deflected off Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori and the post before finding the net.

Although the goal was officially recorded as an own goal, Edozie, making his first-team debut, claimed credit, saying the ball dropped in front of him and he simply tried to keep the shot low and hit it with power — which he did successfully.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side fell below the required standard in the second half, acknowledging that their performance did not meet the demands of a title challenge. He noted that despite going 2-0 up, his team failed to maintain control and ultimately paid the price for dropping their intensity.

Saka also expressed his frustration, highlighting the stark contrast between the two halves and stressing the need to raise standards and focus on their own performance. Arsenal have now managed just three wins in their last eight matches, allowing Manchester City to close the gap.

The fixture had been brought forward by a month due to Arsenal’s participation in the League Cup final against Manchester City on 21 March, adding further pressure to the coming weeks and intensifying the title race even more.

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