‘Nowhere near the levels required’ - Arteta slams his team’s performance despite late win over Wolves

A chaotic finish saw the Gunners scrape a 2-1 win thanks to two own goals, but the manager warned that such inconsistent displays could derail their title ambitions.

The match at the Emirates appeared to be heading for a routine Arsenal win when a Bukayo Saka corner led to the opening goal. 

However, what should have been a comfortable afternoon quickly turned into a tense affair when Wolves equalised courtesy of Tolu Arokodare.

But in a final twist deep into stoppage time, another Saka delivery proved decisive after Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera gifted Arsenal a crucial three points.

Speaking after the match, as reported by Goal, Arteta expressed his frustration with how his team nearly threw away the win. 

"It was a relief, but we have a very clear understanding that the margins should have been bigger," he stated, criticising a lapse in concentration that allowed Wolves back into the contest.

"We generated more chances in the second half, but after that, we had a period of two or three minutes in deep, totally passive, with horrible defensive habits that are nowhere near the levels required," Arteta lamented.

The nature of Wolves' equaliser was a particular point of contention for the manager. "The first time they had an opportunity to score, they did," he said, adding that his players should have dealt with the danger much earlier. "We should have stopped the shots before, and that is on us."

In an interview with BBC Match of the Day, Arteta described the game as a "rollercoaster." He acknowledged the team's resilience but stressed the need for improvement. "We did find a way and that's a very positive thing... but there are things to improve obviously."