From control to chaos in seconds.
Arsenal thought they had weathered the storm at Molineux. Instead, they walked away having blown two massive points in the Premier League title race — and David Raya was at the heart of the collapse.
A 2-2 draw against bottom-of-the-table Wolves should never feel like a crisis. But in a title fight measured by inches, this one cracked the door wide open.
For long spells, Arsenal looked in control. Bukayo Saka ended his goal drought with a composed finish. Piero Hincapié added a confident strike for his first Arsenal goal. Declan Rice dominated midfield. The Gunners had authority.
Then came the unraveling.
Hugo Bueno’s curling effort pulled Wolves back into it — a fine strike Raya had little chance of stopping. But the late equaliser? That’s where the questions begin.
A hopeful cross drifted into the box in stoppage time. Raya came to claim. Gabriel rose to head. Confusion. Hesitation. Collision of intent. The ball spilled, Tom Edozie’s effort ricocheted off Riccardo Calafiori… and in.
2-2.
Title race reopened.
Raya, who had virtually nothing to do all night, was handed a 5/10 rating — and that may even feel generous. He could do little about Bueno’s goal, but the stoppage-time error was labelled “disastrous.” In games like this, you don’t get a second chance.
The defence didn’t escape scrutiny either. William Saliba looked uncharacteristically uneasy, winning just one of five ground duels. Gabriel was dominant aerially for 89 minutes before the costly miscommunication that undid it all.
In midfield, Martin Zubimendi was criticised for becoming “too comfortable” as Wolves sat off. Declan Rice, by contrast, earned an 8/10 — his cross for Saka was pinpoint, his duel dominance relentless.
Up front, it was a mixed bag.
Saka was Arsenal’s brightest spark — tracking back, creating chances, finishing clinically. He even looked Arsenal’s best option at No.10.
But Viktor Gyökeres endured a night to forget. No shots. One touch inside the Wolves box. Failure to hold the ball up when Arsenal went long. A 4/10 rating tells the story.
Substitutes didn’t shift the momentum either. Eberechi Eze struggled to influence the game. Gabriel Jesus offered little improvement. The cutting edge was blunt when it mattered.
And that’s the underlying issue.
Arsenal were facing the league’s bottom side. They had control. They had chances. Yet they never killed the match.
When Wolves believed, Arsenal hesitated.
Matt Verri described it as a “really poor performance” despite the bright opening. That’s what stings most — this wasn’t a heroic comeback from Wolves. It was a self-inflicted wobble.
The title race doesn’t forgive those.
With Manchester City waiting to capitalise on any slip, this draw felt heavier than two dropped points. It revived doubts. It reopened narratives about composure under pressure.
Arsenal have responded before. They will need to again.
But as the final whistle blew at Molineux, one truth echoed louder than any statistic:
In title races, small mistakes create big consequences.
And this one may yet haunt them.
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