Arsenal title fears resurface after Wolves draw ... but is this really a meltdown?

For Arsenal supporters, it felt like a painfully familiar script. A frustrating 2-2 draw against Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday night, sealed by a late equaliser, and suddenly the old anxieties returned.

“Very tough to accept it,” Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports afterwards. “In the second half, we did not perform in the way we should and the way we require to win a Premier League match. It is better not to judge it; we are all too emotional about it. You have to take the hit because we deserve it.

“It is very easy with emotion to say things that can damage the team. Everyone wants to do their best. You have to go through tough periods. Today, at the last minute, we paid the price. We have to do basic things much better than we have done.

“Today, we need to accept it. We need to be critical of ourselves because it was not good enough. In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months. You have to stand up. When you have a moment of difficulty, we have to show how much we want it and how good we are. We have to stand up.”

With a North London derby against Tottenham looming, the questions write themselves. Is this where it unravels? Is this the wobble that allows Manchester City back into the race? Have we seen this film before?

The fear is understandable. In recent seasons, Arsenal have been locked in draining title duels only to fall short. When near-misses are still fresh, every dropped point carries emotional baggage. February draws feel less like blips and more like the start of a slide.

Form adds to the unease. Arsenal have won only one of their past five league matches, drawing three and losing to Manchester United. They remain top with 58 points from 27 games, five clear of City, who have a game in hand and have won three of their last five.

But context matters. Dropped points – even against a struggling side – are reminders of how fine the margins are in a title race. They are not automatic proof of collapse.

The deeper question is psychological. Arsenal’s recent history conditions supporters to expect tension. Memories of late-season dips linger in every misplaced pass and surrendered lead. Panic, then, is less about the table and more about trauma.

Yet this squad is not the same as the one that faltered previously. There is greater depth and maturity. Arteta has navigated a title run-in before. Crucially, this group has shown an ability to respond to setbacks rather than spiral from them.

Title races are rarely linear. Even champions stumble. What separates winners is consistency across 38 matches and the capacity to react. Arsenal’s defensive structure, chance creation, and midfield control still suggest a team built to sustain pressure.

Rivals will drop points too. The narrative of “meltdown” ignores the volatility of a league where margins are microscopic. What may concern Arteta most is the manner of the performance — issues to address internally, not evidence of existential decline.

If Arsenal respond with authority against Tottenham, under new manager Igor Tudor, much of the noise will subside. Momentum is fragile but recoverable. This is a test of temperament, not talent – and the answer will come in the Gunners' response, not in panic.