Arsenal Respond To Wolves Draw: Arteta Hails Reaction As Title Bid Intensifies

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Arsenal restored a five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League with a 4-1 victory over Tottenham, responding strongly after dropping points against Wolves. The north London derby win eased immediate pressure in the title race, coming days after a stoppage-time setback at Molineux had raised doubts about Arsenal’s momentum.

The scoreline matched November’s reverse fixture, meaning Arsenal have beaten Spurs by at least three goals in both league meetings for only the second season, after 1934-35. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres each scored twice, ensuring Arsenal capitalised on Manchester City’s earlier win over Newcastle United.

Many observers questioned whether the title pressure had started to affect Arsenal after the Wolves draw, but Mikel Arteta highlighted the team’s display against Tottenham as evidence of character. "That's football. When you watch the game against Wolves, how we dropped two points, nobody could explain it," Arteta told Sky Sports. "Then it was like it was the end of the world, but the attitude we showed... the determination, the dominance, it was really impressive."

Arteta said the group’s reaction in the dressing room after the Wolves match convinced staff of the players’ commitment to the challenge ahead. "Immediately after [the Wolves game], I saw the reaction and saw what it means. When this is only a job, you don't react like that. But I know how much it means to them and how much they want this."

Arsenal had conceded in the 94th minute at Molineux on Wednesday, turning a likely win into a draw. That slip allowed Manchester City to cut the gap to two points by beating Newcastle United on Saturday. Arteta admitted the late blow felt severe but stressed that the response against Spurs showed Arsenal remained focused on the long campaign.

Looking ahead, Arteta urged Arsenal to keep perspective during the title run-in, stressing the need for consistency rather than emotion. "One at a time. It's going to be a long, long marathon for all of us. But let's enjoy it. Today, we did it. But now we have to do it against Chelsea." Arteta added: "When you're playing for what we're playing for, you have to take [the criticism]. If you don't like it, do something else."

Eberechi Eze’s double against Tottenham followed a hat-trick in the earlier league meeting, giving Eze five goals in north London derbies this season. That made Eze only the second player to net at least four league goals in these fixtures in a single campaign, matching Ted Drake’s tally of five for Arsenal in 1934-35.

Asked about whether recent results influenced Arsenal’s mindset, Eze underlined the importance of the response. "Yeah, for sure, that's the main thing. We know what we're capable of. We have to play games to dominate and to win, and we've got the players in our team to do it. It's an important win for us, and we keep going."

Arsenal face Chelsea at home in their next Premier League fixture in a week’s time, before travelling to Brighton on March 4. Those matches will further test Arsenal’s position at the top, with Manchester City continuing to apply pressure in a title race that remains finely balanced heading into the final months.

The dominant derby performance strengthened Arsenal’s standing after a difficult midweek result and showed a strong response to scrutiny around the squad. While Manchester City remain close behind, Arsenal’s attacking display against their rivals, combined with key contributions from Eze and Gyokeres, ensured momentum swung back in Arsenal’s favour for now.