Arsenal were rescued by two own-goals, the second of which came in stoppage time, to beat last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 and open up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
On a run of just one win in their previous three games, the leaders looked like dropping more points when Tolu Arokodare equalised for Wolves in the 90th minute, canceling out an own-goal by Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone‘s arm in the 70th.
But a fortuitous Arsenal regained the lead in the fourth minute of added time when Yerson Mosquera, under pressure from substitute Gabriel Jesus, headed Saka’s cross past a stunned Johnstone.
Manchester City will look to close the gap to Arsenal back to two points when they visit Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Wolves, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the table with just two points from 16 games following a ninth successive defeat. They are now just one game shy of tying Sheffield United’s record of 17 games without a win to start a Premier League season.
Arteta was able to welcome back William Saliba after a four-match absence with an ankle injury, but Arsenal’s defensive woes show few signs of improving after Ben White suffered a hamstring problem.
With Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori all sidelined, White, who lasted just 30 minutes at the Emirates, now looks set for a sustained period out, too.
The league leaders were bidding to bounce back on the domestic front following a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend, but they were frustrated for all of the opening period.
Indeed, it was Wolves who had the best chance to score in a drab 45 minutes when Hwang Hee-Chan was afforded the freedom of the Emirates as home defence scrambled back following Declan Rice‘s long throw.
Hwang picked up the ball inside his own half, but he ran out of steam by the time he pulled the trigger inside the penalty area, and David Raya made a comfortable save.
There were half-chances for the hosts at the other end, but Johnstone ended the first period without making a noteworthy save and there were some groans of discontent as the half-time whistle blew.
Perhaps, surprisingly, Arteta chose not to make any attacking reinforcements at the interval, but with his side failing to make any headway as the hour mark approached, he turned to Martin Ødegaard, Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino with Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli and Martín Zubimendi all making way.
Hwang was then a tad fortunate to avoid a red card with a studs-up sliding tackle on Myles Lewis-Skelly which sparked a furious reaction from Arteta. Referee Robert Jones showed Hwang a yellow card and VAR, despite looking at the flashpoint, took no further action.
In the 66th minute, Rice’s long-range free kick was tipped over by Johnstone, and moments later, the Wolves goalkeeper produced an impressive one-handed diving save to stop the midfielder’s curling effort from nestling into the net.
However, Johnstone turned from hero to zero from the following corner.
Johnstone finger-tipped Saka’s set piece on to the far post, only to see the ball rebound off him and over the line.
Ødegaard hit the side-netting before Viktor Gyökeres dragged a shot wide. It was as close as the Sweden international would get before he was replaced by Jesus with 10 minutes left. Gyökeres’ goal drought now extends to five matches.
The hosts looked on course to secure a slender 1-0 win before substitute Arokodare headed Mateus Mane’s driven cross in.
But in the fourth of six added-on minutes, a second own goal of the night rescued three points for Arsenal on what could prove a pivotal night in their hunt for the title.
Information from The Associated Press and PA was used in this report.
