Arteta urges struggling frontrunners Arsenal to channel Wolves agony in Spurs showdown

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has encouraged his team to draw on the "agony" from their unexpected 2-2 stalemate against Wolves as they aim to boost their Premier League title bid in the upcoming clash with fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners appeared set for an easy victory on Wednesday, leading 2-0 at Molineux thanks to strikes from Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie.

However, league-bottom Wolves fought back with goals from Hugo Bueno and Tom Edozie.

This result means Arsenal, chasing their first English crown in 22 years, now hold a mere five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City.

It marked the second consecutive game where Arsenal failed to secure all three points after their draw with Brentford, leaving them with just two wins from their past seven league outings.

Manchester City, holding an extra fixture, overtook Arsenal to claim the Premier League title in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, and their April encounter with the Gunners might decide this seasons race.

Arteta commented: "I will stand right alongside them (the players) because this issue stems not from lack of effort or commitment, quite the contrary.

"Thats just how football works. Today, where things could have derailed us, they did.

"Considering how we let in those two goals without facing many other threats, its unusual yet it occurs. It happened for a purpose, and we must respond.

"When youre leading the pack, victory after victory is essential, nothing surprising there."

Arsenal face a tough trip to underperforming Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday, with Arteta noting: "We must endure this agony, reflect deeply, grasp what the match demands now, and our immediate step is Sunday. Hold onto all that internally to unleash it on Sunday."

Meanwhile, Saka shared with Arsenal.com: "The mood is low. Were truly gutted by the outcome, thats the best way to put it.

"It felt like two different matches. We began brilliantly in the first half, but our performance dipped after the break, and we paid the price."

Regarding the upcoming derby, the England star continued: "It was already massive, and it remains so... We still hold the reins, so lets concentrate on that, address our current problems, and return to victories."