WOLVES were brought back down to earth with a bump as – one week on from defeating unbeaten Manchester United – they were subjected to a footballing masterclass by Arsenal.

Both goals came from Robin van Persie, but Arsene Wenger’s men had a hatful of chances and only a defiant display from Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey kept the scoreline in check.

Back to the bottom of the division sank Wolves.

If there are 19 better teams than one which has beaten United, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool, then perhaps this really is the greatest league of them all.

The greatest compliment that Wenger could have paid Wolves was in picking his strongest available team despite a Champions League tie against Barcelona being just four days away.

There was not a hint of the past ill-feeling between the managers – over Mick McCarthy’s changed team at Old Trafford – as they shook hands in bright sunshine, although Wenger did look for a moment as if his left hand was perhaps trying to unclip and pocket a wristwatch.

McCarthy was typically open and honest in his post-match assessment that his side had been handed a “spanking”.

They’re sure to have better days when their opponents will be rather more ordinary.

They remain on the exact same points as this time last season when their haul was good enough to seem them sit 16th, a point clear of the dreaded drop zone.

In a dozen tests that remain, only the visit of Spurs to Molineux promises to give the Wolves defence such a grilling as seen here.

Five derbies against Albion (twice), Villa, Blues and Stoke look likely to determine more than anything just who will fall short.

It was Benjamin Disraeli who was supposed to have coined the phrase: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

But at The Emirates the figures spoke for themselves. Attempts at goal: Arsenal 17 Wolves 2.

On the day England’s new wonderkid Jack Wilshere was just a little too busy and Cesc Fabregas was just a bit too good.

Only Hennessey and some touches of fortune prevented a right royal thrashing.

From the moment Fabregas teased George Elokobi and floated over a cross which was expertly volleyed into the net by Robin van Persie, who had drifted in between the two centre-backs, there was only going to be one outcome.