The Gunners sat top of the table for 243 days, but a run of just two wins from their last eight outings (D3, L3) means they have been knocked off their perch by Manchester City, leading their manager to claim his players “must heal” ahead of another tilt at silverware next season.
The Spaniard will hope that process can start in Arsenal's final game of the campaign, where, having lost 3-0 to Brighton in their last match at the Emirates, they look to avoid back-to-back home league defeats for the first time since April last year.
History suggests they should be confident of doing that against visitors Wolves, to whom they have lost just three times in 28 H2Hs stretching back to 1980 (W20, D5).
That does not bode well for Julen Lopetegui’s side, who are at risk of a fourth successive away defeat across one season for the first time since November 2012.
Indeed, the Wanderers have had a pretty miserable time of things on the road throughout the campaign, picking up only 11 of an available 54 points (W2, D5, L11), including a current run of five losses in seven outings (D2).
Wolves also head into the game with uncertainty surrounding Lopetegui’s future, despite taking the reins when they were bottom of the table in November and guiding the club to safety with games to spare.
The Spaniard is reportedly concerned about a lack of funds available to him this summer, where he would look to bolster the squad in a bid to land a top-half finish next season.
Players to watch: Bukayo Saka, who has this week signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, has only suffered three defeats in 34 goalscoring appearances for the Gunners (W28, D3).
He will be hoping to extend that record against Wolves defender Craig Dawson, who has never kept a clean sheet in 15 H2Hs (W2, D3, L10).
Hot streak: Eight successive Arsenal home league games have produced three or more goals.
