Bolton 2 Arsenal 1:Arsenal's Barclays Premier League title bid was surely ended at the Reebok Stadium as Tamir Cohen netted an emotional late winner to give Bolton a 2-1 victory.
The Israeli powered a 90th-minute header past Wojciech Szczesny and then removed his shirt to reveal a picture of his late father and former Liverpool player Avi, who died in December following a motorcycle accident, before breaking down in tears.
On-loan Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge had opened the scoring in the 38th minute while Kevin Davies also missed a penalty for Bolton at the start of the second half before Robin van Persie netted a 48th-minute equaliser.
The result leaves Arsenal nine points behind Manchester United and three behind Chelsea with only four games remaining.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted afterwards his side now had a "minimal" chance of winning the title.
"It's hard to lose a game like that," he told Sky Sports 1. "We gave everything. Our attitude was fantastic. We were 1-0 down and had chances to win it. We have to give as much as we can until the last game, but of course the chances are minimal now.
"The players fought very hard and the players are disappointed."
Wenger claimed the past week, in which his side also let leads slip to draw with Liverpool and Tottenham, had cost them dear, but he insisted thereis no
need for drastic change.
"I feel this week we could have taken nine points and we have taken two," he added. "We do not have to change our way of playing. I feel we have to be more mature in some situations when we are looking too frail.
"If you look at the way we dropped points it makes it even more frustrating."