Mikel Arteta’s reaction at the full-time whistle said it all. After watching his side grind out this 1-0 win at Wolves, the Arsenal manager turned to his coaching staff and hugged them. Arteta then headed onto the pitch and began to hug his shattered players. Kai Havertz finished this game on the floor and he had to be helped up by the physio team.
Eventually, Arteta made his way to Arsenal’s away fans and, clenching his fists together and raising them to the air, celebrated in front of them. And well he might as, when Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown a red card just before half-time, it felt the like title might be slipping away from Arsenal.
Liverpool were cruising to victory against Ipswich and, if Arsenal failed to win, a six-point gap would suddenly become eight or nine. Arsenal will rightly feel aggrieved about Lewis-Skelly’s red card. PGMOL said it was given for “serious foul play”, but it felt incredibly harsh.
The left-back brought down Matt Doherty as Wolves tried to counter from a corner. It looked a stonewall yellow card, the type of tactical foul Arteta is famed for liking his players to do. Referee Michael Oliver, however, must have decided Lewis-Skelly’s foot was high, but even if that was the case, it was soft.
Arsenal had been the better team up until that point. Havertz had twice gone close with headed chances, with Leandro Trossard’s crosses picking him out on both occasions. After Lewis-Skelly was sent off, you wondered if this was going to be a game that typified Arsenal’s season - a controversial red card, missed chances and injuries.
