Rob Edwards and Mikel Arteta had very different emotions following rockbottom Wolves’ 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Speaking to the press, Wolves boss Edwards was full of superlatives following his struggling side’s spirited comeback.
As for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, however, the mood is a lot more sour.
Here, Sport Just Sport writer Emily Clogg takes a look at what both managers had to say and the seismic effect this may have on the title race.
Edwards delighted with fighting spirit
This has been an extremely difficult season for Wolves, and moments like these have been hard to come by.
They currently find themselves bottom of the Premier League table, 17 points adrift from safety.
Fans have accepted that they will likely be hosting Championship football at Molineux next season.
Still, that hasn’t stopped Edwards’ side from showing fight and hunger as the business end of the season approaches.
Speaking after the game, the Wolves manager said: “It was an excellent point. I’m really proud of the players in the end.
“After going two-one down against one of the best teams in Europe, to find a way to get something from the game was a really good feeling.
“It feels like a win, even though it’s not.”
He was full of praise for an Arsenal team that will be left hugely disappointed after squandering what seemed to be a comfortable two-goal cushion.
“They’re in four competitions, and they could end up having an amazing season,” Edwards said.
He added: “I think that’s why we’ve got to try to celebrate what we showed out there as well.
“You can’t just turn up and dominate Arsenal from the beginning… we wanted to try and play with some more heart and passion and spirit, and they did that.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Jamie O’Hara backs Pep Guardiola to stay at Man City: ‘He’s in it for the long haul’ – Sport Just Sport
Arteta frustrated at second-half performance
Arsenal headed to Molineux with the opportunity to extend their lead on Manchester City at the top of the table to seven points.
After starting the season in near-flawless form, recent results haven’t gone the Gunners’ way.
Valuable points have been dropped against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Brentford.
As a result, Arteta’s side were desperate for all three points against a languishing Wolves team.
“I’m extremely disappointed, obviously, with the result, with the way the game ended, but we have to blame ourselves,” he said.
“We didn’t show anything close to the standards that are required in this league to win… It’s a moment of disappointment.
“When you are at this level and at the top, you need to take the hits, because today we deserved them as well, and move on as quick as possible, because on Sunday we have a big game coming up.”
That match in question is quite possibly the biggest of Arsenal’s season, and you could make the argument that it’s the biggest of Arteta’s entire managerial career.
It’s the north London derby against a Tottenham side looking to bounce back under new interim manager Igor Tudor.
Arteta understands that any criticism thrown his way has its legs, but refuses to give up on the title fight.
He said: “I think any question, any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin. That’s it.
“Any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required.
“So anything that anybody says can be right, because we didn’t do what we had to do.
“The way to do it is on the pitch on Sunday. I think we need to go through the pain.
“Anything that we say from here to there is fine, but we need to keep all that in our tummies to show it on Sunday. That’s what we have to do.”
SportJustSport writers