Arsenal fluffed their chance to go seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City on Wednesday night as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 94th-minute dagger saw the Gunners leave Molineux with just one point.
Of course, Mikel Arteta’s men are still top of the Premier League table – on 58 points after 27 matches – but City are five points behind with a game in hand.
Having earned a two-goal lead inside 56 minutes, courtesy of Bukayo Saka and Piero Hincapie, it seemed inconceivable that Arsenal would get anything but a victory but it wasn’t meant to be.
Hugo Bueno’s long-range curler set the tone for a late Wolves equaliser and the home side’s 94th-minute goal was eventually turned in my Riccardo Calafiori.
Martin Keown name ‘important’ Arsenal player following 2-2 draw with Wolves
On the night, despite the last-minute heartbreak, Hincapie and Declan Rice were among those who impressed for the north Londoners – with the former picking up an 8/10 on Read Arsenal’s player ratings.
Others were, understandably, not as convincing as the aforementioned pair and Martin Keown, who played 449 times for Arsenal across two stints, believes that Kai Havertz is ‘all too important’ to their title pursuit, which has been dented following Wednesday evening.
“I would like to see Kai Havertz back, he’s becoming maybe all too important because he’s been injured again. That’s not his fault but it’s been painful. You need to get people back because it hurts the group. You need that match-winner, someone who gives everyone belief and puts the game out of sight.”
The versatile German’s muscular problem has now been confirmed as a hamstring injury by Arteta, though there is a hope that he will be back in contention to play against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
“Kai is one that again for the weekend is a possibility, so looking forward to having him in the squad,” he said.
It’s been over two decades since Arsenal won the Premier League title – that time under Arsene Wenger – and having someone of Kai Havertz’s ilk and versatility could be key as they look to bust their trophy-winning hoodoo.
Why is Havertz so ‘critical’ to Arsenal’s title pursuit
Before the Wolves draw, Rio Ferdinand highlighted Gabriel Jesus as being ‘critical’ in Arsenal’s pursuit of winning the title – but Keown believes that Havertz, who has played just three matches this season, has the opportunity to take games by the scruff of the neck.
Viktor Gyokeres has often struggled to break down with a low block this term and Havertz would’ve been perfect against Rob Edwards’ side. He has the physical presence to make himself a nuisance but also the decisiveness in the penalty area.
| Club | Matches | Goals | Assists |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 150 | 46 | 31 |
| Chelsea | 139 | 32 | 16 |
| Arsenal | 94 | 31 | 15 |
Does Arteta need to risk Havertz in the upcoming north London derby or should he wait? It’s an interesting conundrum given the magnitude of said match but the bigger picture suggests that he should only return when he’s fully fit and raring to go.
Next up for the Gunners, they lock horns with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on away soil before facing fellow capital outfit Chelsea – a team they are set to face in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup – at the Emirates Stadium on March 1.
