عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Arsenal Blows 2-goal Lead at Wolves to Boost Man City's Premier League Title Chances

Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - February 18, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tom Edozie celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Chris Radburn
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - February 18, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tom Edozie celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Chris Radburn
TT
TT

Arsenal Blows 2-goal Lead at Wolves to Boost Man City's Premier League Title Chances

Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - February 18, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tom Edozie celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Chris Radburn
Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - February 18, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Tom Edozie celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates REUTERS/Chris Radburn

Arsenal blew a two-goal lead at last-place Wolves on Wednesday to give a huge boost to Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title.

The league leader was held to a surprise 2-2 draw at Molineux, having led 2-0 in the second half.

Teenage debutant Tom Edozie scored in the fourth minute of added time to complete Wolves' comeback.

“There was a big difference in how we played in the first half and the second half. We dropped our standards and we got punished for it,” Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka told the BBC.

The draw means Arsenal has dropped points in back-to-back games and leaves it just five ahead of second-place City, having played a game more.

With the top two still to play each other at City's Etihad Stadium, the title race is too close to call.

“(It's) time to focus on ourselves, improve our standards and improve our performances and it is in our control,” Saka said.

Arsenal has led the way for the majority of the season and one bookmaker paid out on Mikel Arteta's team winning the title after it opened up a nine-point lead earlier this month.

But Wednesday's result was the latest sign that it is feeling the pressure, having finished runner-up in each of the last three seasons. It has won just two of its last seven league games.

Having blown a lead against Brentford last week, it was even worse at a Wolves team that has won just one game all season.

Victory looked all but secured after Saka gave Arsenal the lead with a header in the fifth minute and Piero Hincapie ran through to blast in the second in the 56th.

But Wolves' fightback began with Hugo Bueno's curling shot into the top corner in the 61st.

The 19-year-old Edozie was sent on as a substitute in the 84th and his effort earned the home team only its 10th point of a campaign that looks certain to end in relegation.

While it did little for Wolves' chances of survival, it may have had a major impact at the top of the standings.

“Incredibly disappointed that we gave two points away,” Arteta said. "I think we need to fault ourselves and give credit to Wolves. But what we did in the second half was nowhere near our standards that we have to play in order to win a game in the Premier League.

“When you don’t perform you can get punished, and we got punished and we have to accept the hits because that can happen when you are on top."

Arsenal plays Tottenham on Sunday. Its lead could be cut to two points before it kicks off if City wins against Newcastle on Saturday.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Players Would Boycott French Open Over Prize Money Dispute, Says Sabalenka

17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
TT
TT

Players Would Boycott French Open Over Prize Money Dispute, Says Sabalenka

17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)
17 June 2024, Berlin: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka gives an interview on the WTA Tour in Berlin. (dpa)

Players would boycott the French Open if their prize money at the claycourt Grand Slam's is not increased, women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka said on Tuesday.

The Belarusian's threat came amid a heated disagreement between players and Roland Garros organizers over prize money distribution, despite this year's tournament offering a 9.5% increase to 61.7 million euros ($72.19 million).

Several top players released a statement ‌on Monday ‌saying they were set to receive prize money ‌that ⁠would likely still ⁠be less than 15% of tournament revenue, well short of the 22% they demanded to match ATP and WTA combined 1000 events.

When asked how far players might push their demands, Sabalenka told reporters at the Italian Open: "I think at some point we will boycott it (the tournament), yeah. I feel like that's going to be the only way to ⁠fight for our rights.

"Let's see how far we ‌can get, if it's going to take ‌players for boycott... Some of the things, I feel like it's really ‌unfair to the players. I think at some point it's going ‌to get to this."

However, the world number one struck a hopeful note about ongoing negotiations.

"I just really hope that all of the negotiation that we are having, we at some point are going to get to the right ‌decision, to the conclusion that everyone will be happy with," she added.

Reuters has contacted the French ⁠Tennis Federation for ⁠comment.

The prize money boost of 5.4 million euros compared to 2025 still leaves Roland Garros trailing its Grand Slam rivals.

The US Open offered $90 million last year while Wimbledon paid out 53.5 million pounds ($72.51 million) and the Australian Open a record A$111.5 million ($80.06 million) this year.

Sabalenka said the players deserved more prize money.

"When you see the number and you see the amount the players are receiving... I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn't be a tournament and there wouldn't be that entertainment," Sabalenka added.

"I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage. What can I say?"

Sports

Arsenal Keen to End 20-Year Wait for Champions League Final When It Hosts Atletico Madrid

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
TT
TT

Arsenal Keen to End 20-Year Wait for Champions League Final When It Hosts Atletico Madrid

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 4, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League league semifinal, second-leg football match against Atletico Madrid. (AFP)

Arsenal has waited 20 years to get back into another Champions League final, and 22 years for another Premier League title.

Now both are within reach, starting with the second leg of their semifinal at home against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The first leg ended 1-1 in Madrid last week after offsetting penalties for two teams looking for a first European Cup title. Arsenal will be hoping its home field advantage at Emirates Stadium makes the difference in the return.

“After 20 years to be in this position again,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "We are so hungry to get the game that we want (Tuesday) and go through to that final.”

Arsenal routed Atletico 4-0 at home in the league phase in October, but expect Diego Simeone's side to be a lot more solid defensively in the return to London.

“I’m going to try to tell the team to play like they did in the second half (in Madrid)," Simeone said. "If it’s that easy it would be great. We have a lot of faith in what we’re doing.”

Both teams have been boosted by injury returns as forward Julian Alvarez is expected to play for Atletico and Arteta said captain Martin Odegaard and forward Kai Havertz are both available.

Atletico reached the final twice under Simeone, in 2014 and 2016, losing both times to crosstown rival Real Madrid.

Arsenal lost its only final in 2006 to Barcelona. This time, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich will await the winner. Those two play their second leg on Wednesday after a pulsating 5-4 win for PSG in the first leg.

Arsenal's quest for a first Premier League title was also boosted on Monday by Manchester City drawing at Everton 3-3, meaning the Gunners can clinch the trophy by winning their last three games.

Atletico is only fourth in La Liga, 25 points behind leader Barcelona.

Sports

A Coaching Great? Luis Enrique Has PSG on Brink of Another Champions League Final

PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

A Coaching Great? Luis Enrique Has PSG on Brink of Another Champions League Final

PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient in Paris, France, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP)

Luis Enrique will join a select group of coaching greats if he leads Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory again this season, and it is his remarkable management that has the French club tantalizingly close to reaching the final once again.

PSG head to Munich for the second leg of their semi-final against Bayern on Wednesday defending a 5-4 lead from an incredible first meeting which was one of the greatest matches in the competition's history.

"It was the best game I have been fortunate enough to be involved in as a coach," Luis Enrique said after that encounter at the Parc des Princes.

He nevertheless believes his side will need to score another three goals at the Allianz Arena in order to see off the German champions and secure a place in the May 30 final in Budapest.

But he and his side need not look too far back for inspiration -- their last visit to Munich ended in PSG hammering Inter Milan 5-0 in last season's final as they won the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Maybe, after all he has achieved in his career, Luis Enrique could have simply walked away following that triumph, his job done. But his motivation has remained intact this season.

"Last season we achieved the objective that everyone around us had been dreaming of. But we want to continue making history and that now means winning two Champions Leagues in a row," said the Spaniard on the eve of this campaign.

He has now taken PSG to the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in as many seasons since being appointed in 2023.

Thanks to him, PSG have moved on in spectacular fashion from the era of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and of regular European disappointments.

To put their consistency under Luis Enrique into more context: before his arrival, PSG had reached the Champions League semi-finals three times in their history.

His success seems to come down to that motivation, and an intensity of personality which comes across in the way his team plays -- high energy, incessant pressing, terrifying pace.

"He is the most positive person I have met in my life. He is always motivated and always in a good mood. We all learn from him and his way of seeing things," said PSG's Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaifi.

- Intensity -

His side also stand on the verge of another Ligue 1 title -- albeit their financial advantage over the rest of France's clubs makes that far less remarkable.

Luis Enrique turns 56 on Friday, but that intensity also comes across in how he lives his life.

This is a man who has competed in triathlons and run several marathons -- once going under the three-hour mark in Florence. Sometimes seen walking around the training ground barefoot, in September he fractured a collarbone after falling off his bike.

He was quickly over that injury and fully focused on PSG. So much so that the man who played in three World Cups and coached Spain in Qatar in 2022, is apparently not remotely interested in the approaching tournament in North America.

"I am the coach of PSG. I don't care about anything else. I'm not interested," he said recently in response to one World Cup-related question.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder really made his name as a coach when he led the Catalans, featuring Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, to a treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey in 2015.

This season his squad management has been remarkable, albeit undoubtedly helped by that margin PSG have in Ligue 1.

Captain Marquinhos, for example, has started more games in Europe than in Ligue 1. Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele has started just nine times in Ligue 1, as many as in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, the devastating Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been arguably the best player in this season's Champions League.

Up to now it has been a triumph of management, but the biggest test awaits in Munich on Wednesday.

If PSG can see off a brilliant Bayern team, Luis Enrique will be a step closer to becoming just the fifth coach to win three European Cups or Champions Leagues, after Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola.