Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta delivered a scathing assessment of his team’s defensive performance despite securing a dramatic 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. The league leaders required a 94th-minute own goal from Yerson Mosquera to claim three points after appearing destined for a disappointing draw.
The match took a concerning turn for Arsenal when Wolverhampton equalized in the 90th minute through Tolu Arokodare, canceling out Sam Johnstone’s earlier own goal that had given the hosts the lead. Arteta expressed particular frustration with what he described as ‘horrible defensive habits’ that emerged during critical moments of the match.
‘It was a relief to win, but with a very clear understanding that the margin should have been bigger,’ Arteta told reporters post-match. ‘We had a period of two or three minutes in deep, totally passive, with defensive habits that are nowhere near the level required against a team that hadn’t had a single shot.’
The victory maintains Arsenal’s position at the summit of the Premier League table with 36 points as they pursue their first league title after three consecutive second-place finishes. Arteta emphasized the importance of learning from the performance despite the positive result, noting that his players made victory ‘harder for ourselves today.’
With a challenging Christmas fixture schedule approaching, beginning with Saturday’s match against Everton, Arteta stressed the urgency of addressing defensive vulnerabilities while acknowledging the difficulty of securing Premier League victories.