Ahead of another pivotal week, in which they face Chelsea on Tuesday and then bitter enemies Tottenham on Sunday, the prospect of a first title since 2004 is still there.
“It’s great to be top as this is where we want to be, since January our run has been unbelievable,” Arteta said.
“We have to beat Chelsea now, they are in good form and we have to give it a real go. If you want to be fighting at the top, you have to show that resilience. The team has shown that they have another step forward to make. We’ve been fighting for the league in successive seasons, and now this year competed in the Champions League, so this shows you far we’ve come.”
Arteta has been here before but feels this team, and the mentality of his players, will help avoid another late collapse. Yet the two chastening defeats had only ramped up the tension and underlined how there is so little margin for error when competing for major trophies.
This felt like a huge moment in their season, against a Wolves team whose fine season is threatening to fizzle out. Wolves are enduring a deepening injury crisis, with slim hopes of European qualification fading away last month. With Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha, Craig Dawson, Nelson Semedo, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde all absent, and Rayan Ait-Nouri only just returning to the squad, O’Neil simply does not have enough options to challenge a team competing for the title.
Among the Wolves substitutes was 15-year-old Wes Okoduwa, who was dragged out of a science lesson at school on Friday to train with the squad. Four other teenagers were on the bench. Typically, Wolves still produced a resilient performance, particularly in the first half as they frustrated Arsenal with their intensity and high pressing, and O’Neil admitted he was proud of his depleted squad.
“An incredible performance, one of my favourites considering how tough I thought it would be,” he said.
“I can’t believe how well the lads did with how short we are. It was an enjoyable evening, which you don’t often get when you lose. The aim when I was driving up to Wolverhampton in August was to stay in the league.”
Arsenal had been hesitant in the first half, struggling to create chances, and the opening goal came out of nowhere on the stroke of half-time.
Gabriel Jesus was allowed to wriggle free of the Wolves defence and the ball fell to Trossard, who sliced a shot into the top corner. It seemed to be a fortuitous finish, scuffed from his toe but proved so significant in the context of Arsenal’s season.
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