William Saliba confessed his legs were tired and he craved a bath and a massage after an exacting win at Wolves.

But the muscular French defender revealed the real race for a first title in two decades is all about the mental fight as Arsenal approach a defining week in their search for Premier League glory.

Mikel Arteta’s stars had to dig deep into reserves of grit and determination to secure a vital win at Molineux while Manchester City were teeing up another trophy at Wembley in the FA Cup. And after a week to forget in the wake of a damaging defeat against Aston Villa and a Champions League exit at Bayern Munich, Arsenal’s resilience and sheer will to win dragged them back to the top of the table.

But with Chelsea the visitors to the Emirates on Tuesday and the North London derby at Tottenham on Sunday there’s no let up.

Saliba said: “I’m a little bit tired, but now we have to play with our head as well. We have to push in our last five games and will rest after.

“Of course the schedule is brutal yes, but that is football you don’t have a choice. You have to play, it’s a high level but that’s it.

“I need a bath and massage! We do our best, but it’s more mentally I think because our legs are tired but that’s okay, it’s football. We have to play with our head and that’s it.

“Of course we have some good experience from last season and this one as well. It can be up and down quickly so we are well prepared. That’s why it’s more mental. We have to push and give everything we have. It’s a very big week against Chelsea and Tottenham and I hope we will win.”

Saliba admitted failure wasn’t an option against a depleted but gallant Wolves team. Gary O’Neill’s stars kept going until an injury time goal, squeezed home by skipper Martin Odegaard finally ended their resistance, after Leandro Trossard had given Arsenal the lead on the stroke of half time.

Said Saliba: “We know it was out there for us to come back after the last two games because we lost. We knew how important the game was and to get back with a win and a clean sheet so we are happy and we have to keep going like this.

“The coach gave us a good boost before the game. He told us how good we can be, told us to show our character and we responded well. The win is a big boost.

“Anything can happen in the last five games and if we want something at the end we have to win. If we want to put pressure on we have to win, win, win and keep going like this. We know it will be hard but we are prepared.”

No-one covered more ground for at Molineux than Declan Rice who finished the game with surging runs and an assist for Odegaard’s cheeky goal. And that brought praise from Saliba who said: “That’s why we won today and why we are on top because we have good players who don’t give up and who sprint even at the last minute.

“We are so lucky to have a player like him.”