Arsenal are no strangers to being down to 10 men. Often precipitates the delivery of points to opponents.
However, on this occasion, he produced a resilient performance in the face of a matter beyond his control, as Myles Lewis-Skelly received a ridiculous red card from referee Michael Oliver on the threshold of half-time for a foul on Matt Doherty.
Should they start training with 10 men, given their worst disciplinary record in the league?
“We don't have time to train, so with the time we have, I hope to train with at least 11 people.” Boss Mikel Arteta laughed. “Unfortunately this season it has happened too many times, but it is not something we talk about.”
Arsenal's spirit in dealing with the Lewis-Skelly setback was even more impressive. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they insisted.
Fans always claim their team is in the spotlight, but Saturday's decision was so bad that you can sympathize with a fan who would think that.
However, it is no excuse for the threats that have occurred since then. Oliver's home address was leaked on social media and there were other hateful posts about him as well.
Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal of the game and Arsenal won against all odds.
Unfortunately, such abuses are no longer a surprise, or even an expectation. But 8,000 likes on a disgusting post? It is a damning reflection of how normalized such vitriol has become in society and must be addressed.
Referees body PGMOL said last night that police were aware and investigations had been launched.
At a managerial level, the match showed how much Arteta has grown. In his post-match television interview, he said he was “furious” about the red card.
Fifteen minutes later, at his press conference, he had calmed down to the point of responding: “I think it's obvious that we don't need any comment.” Let's hope the right thing happens after today.”
In November 2023, his rant after Anthony Gordon's controversial game-winning goal
Newcastle going through three separate VAR checks prompted Arsenal to hire a criminal defense lawyer to overturn the FA's misconduct charges for calling the decision “disgraceful” and “disgraceful.”
This incident at Wolves was much more unlikely and will have forced Arteta to bite his tongue. That he did so deserves recognition, as many managers would have struggled to maintain their composure.
Wolves received a boost of confidence with their one-man advantage as, with the game at 0-0, they were looking for a much-needed result after three consecutive league defeats.
Matheus Cunha's shot from outside the area near the
The hour mark was well saved by David Raya and the Brazilian should have scored from the resulting corner, only to fire the ball wide.
Defender Riccardo Calafiori, who had recently lost his place against Lewis-Skelly due to a muscle problem, snatched the winner away with a good finish. But more broadly, it was the way the Gunners achieved a victory in such difficult circumstances away from home that ticked a box.
Goals, mediocre defense and three points are the typical barometers by which teams chasing the title are judged.
The ability to get results in the face of adversity is also a big part of the package.
Mikel Arteta's team managed to respond well to another challenge in a difficult season
Without this, a team will end up stagnating in a Premier League that is more competitive than ever, as seen by the unlikely progress of Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
Three points against Wolves do not completely solve Arsenal's problems, which have fallen
12 points from the winning positions so far this campaign, but illustrates a clear improvement compared to the first half of the season.
Back then, the Gunners would have found a way to lose this match or, at best, walk away with just one point.
They will need the resilience demonstrated on Saturday going forward.