There's a version of this story where Arsenal go to Molineux on a freezing Wednesday night, control the game, score twice, and coast to a routine three points against the worst team in the Premier League. That version doesn't exist. Instead, what we got was Mikel Arteta standing on the touchline getting pelted with sleet and snow, watching a 19-year-old debutant score in stoppage time to spark absolute bedlam in Wolverhampton.
And somewhere in Manchester, Pep Guardiola will have allowed himself a very quiet smile.

The Wolves 2-2 Arsenal scoreline barely tells the story. Arsenal were two goals up against a side that hadn't managed a single shot in the first half hour. By rights, this should have been job done before the hour mark. But somewhere between Piero Hincapie's second goal and the final whistle, something fell apart. Hugo Bueno curled one into the top corner to set the nerves jangling, and then Tom Edozie, on for his very first taste of senior football, struck a shot that cannoned off the post, deflected in off Riccardo Calafiori, and sent Molineux into delirium.

We are still five points clear at the top, but City have a game in hand. They win their game and the lead drops to only two points. Every time we had the chance to pull clear of them, we faltered. We have won just twice in our last seven league matches.

City thrive in these situations. They're historically built for exactly this situation. Guardiola's sides have a well-documented habit of building late-season momentum, stringing results together when it matters most and picking off whoever is in front of them. We have given them a green light with our last two results and City will not need a second invitation.

In his post game reaction, Arteta said: "We deserve the hits. When you don't perform at the standards required to win in the Premier League, you pay the price.” It was an honest admission that the second half performance was nowhere near good enough, but honesty alone doesn't win you the league.

We still have to travel to the Etihad this season. If the title is still undecided by then, that fixture takes on a weight that's hard to overstate.

Tonight was supposed to be a routine night. It turned into a warning and a wake-up call. Whether Arsenal heed it may well decide where the Premier League trophy ends up come May.