'The Gunners had to show their ugly side'

Former Chelsea and Everton winger Pat Nevin, speaking to BBC Sport:

Popping down to Emirates Stadium on Saturday, league leaders Arsenal showed every side of their game. The opening 25-minute display was a masterpiece of control, imagination and beauty, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard finishing off two of the best team goals you will see this season.

Injury-hit Wolves in the meantime appeared banned from the opposition half and looked a very sorry sight in comparison.

By the final 10 minutes however, particularly following Matheus Cunha’s delightfully curled effort, the Gunners had to show their ugly side by defending in numbers and now and again with desperation.

This is exactly what any team with title aspirations must do at times. They held on just as they did in the recent single goal win against Brentford.

What looked like a game that would be a walk in the park became an uphill struggle but that may have pleased Mikel Arteta even more. They needed steel and now they have it, particularly with centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba, augmented by the intelligence of Declan Rice in front of them, beside them and even sometimes behind them.

Odegaard and Saka may catch the eye week in week out by winning games, but Rice is the type of player who will win you trophies in the long run.