Arsenal news: Bukayo Saka called out for actions as Mikel Arteta successor named

View 3 Images

Tensions may have cooled following Arsenal 's collapse against Wolves but nerves surrounding their lead will surely remain. The Gunners were heading towards a comfortable victory at Molineux on Wednesday after Piero Hincapie's second-half effort put them 2-0 up.

A victory would have seen them return to winning ways after their 1-1 draw with Brentford while increasing their lead over Manchester City to seven points. However, football rarely follows the script. Hugo Bueno's stunning strike was followed up by Tom Edozie's effort going in via Riccardo Calafiori to earn the Premier League's basement side a point .

Cruelly missing out on two valuable points saw Gabriel Jesus let his emotions get the better of him as he shoved Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera after the full-time whistle was blown.

The surprising capitulation was later discussed by Bukayo Saka , who came in for criticism from an English football legend as Mikel Arteta's future at Arsenal was questioned. Mirror Football takes a look at the latest stories surrounding the league leaders.

MAKE THE MIRROR YOUR FIRST CHOICE! Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

The result at Molineux was undoubtedly a damaging one to Arsenal's title prospects. The disappointment was clear to see and was also verbalised by Saka, who captained the side in the absence of the injured Martin Odegaard.

Speaking to Sky Sports following the final whistle, the England star said: "It’s very flat [in the dressing room]. I’m very disappointed with the result and especially how we played in the second half, it’s far from the level that we’ve set this season."

While many praised Saka's brutal honesty and insight into the psyche of his team-mates, his admission wasn't greatly received by Tottenham Hotspur icon Glenn Hoddle. The 68-year-old said Saka's despondent mood and comments weren't what a captain should have projected after a difficult result.

View 3 Images

"That’s interesting, that, because he was the skipper tonight," Hoddle said. "For me, he was very honest, very honest there saying they need to do better... blah blah blah. But his demeanour for me wasn’t right. Your demeanour needs to be a little bit more up, he was very flat, very flat."

The Spaniard's reign at the Emirates Stadium is approaching seven years and the next few months could very well define what his legacy will be at the club. When it comes to his future ambitions, ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit believes Arteta will manage Barcelona one day and claims it'll be another former Gunners captain in Cesc Fabregas who'll replace him at the helm in north London.

" Mikel Arteta will one day manage Barcelona, I think eventually we'll see that," Petit said to BetBrothers. "Does he really want to experience football in different countries? To be honest, if he is to leave Arsenal , I see him more likely to go abroad than to another Premier League club.

View 3 Images

FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

"So, obviously, I'd say Barca would be his favourite next move if he were to leave Arsenal." Having led Como since 2024, Fabregas has established himself as one of Europe's most promising managers.

Petit said the ex-Barcelona midfielder publicly calling out Alvaro Morata for getting sent off against Fiorentina showed him that he possesses the personality to demand respect. "I think it's the first time he goes public about a player instead of, you know, going public as he probably did in the past," Petit added.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.