ARSENAL 2-1 WOLVES: Tolu Arokodare scored a stoppage-time equaliser for Wolves before Yerson Mosquera put through his own goal to restore the Gunners’ lead
Arsenal struck at the death to beat Wolves and move five points clear at the top of the Premier League. Tolu Arokodare scored a stoppage-time equaliser for the Premier League’s basement boys before Yerson Mosquera put through his own goal to restore the Gunners’ lead.
That came after another own goal by Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone had earlier put Arsenal in front. Bukayo Saka’s 70th-minute corner cannoned off the post and into the back of Johnstone before trickling into the goal.
Arsenal were unconvincing and looked to have blown it when Arokodare nodded past David Raya. But Saka was again on hand to provide the assist as his cross from the right was glanced past his own goalkeeper by Mosquera.
It piles the pressure on Manchester City ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday. Here are five talking points from the Emirates…
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White blow
Arsenal have had their fair share of injury troubles this season despite sitting top of the Premier League, and they were hit with another blow this evening.
Ben White, who has been in fine form from right-back, pulled up when running back to chase down Wolves foward Hwang Hee-chan, whose shot was saved well by David Raya.
He tried to continue but was forced to go down for treatment and was ultimately replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
That forced a defensive reshuffle for Mikel Arteta who has been able to rely on an ultra solid defensive unit for the entirety of the campaign so far.
He’ll be hoping White is not out for any prolonged period.
Gyokeres’ struggles continue
It’s fair to say Viktor Gyokeres hasn’t yet had quite the impact he would have hoped following his £63million move from Sporting Lisbon.
Albeit in an easier league, Gyokeres plundered 97 goals in just 102 games over the course of two seasons in the Portuguese capital after moving from Coventry.
It’s still early days and he has had his moments in an Arsenal shirt, but he’s managed just four Premier League goals so far with another couple in Europe.
He has been hindered by a hamstring problem that saw him miss almost a month, but he will be hoping to get on a run of goals sooner rather than later so start repaying his price tag.
Set piece again (ole ole)
It took Arsenal until the 70th minute to finally break the deadlock, and it came with more than a stroke of fortune.
Bukayo Saka swung in a corner from the right and it curled wickedly towards the back post. Sam Johnstone got fingertips to it but could only cushion it on to the woodwork.
He was then helpless as the ball cannoned back off him and into the back of the net to provide a palpable sense of relief all round the Emirates. Johnstone had previously twice saved brilliantly from Declan Rice to keep it goalless.
Not quite how Saka and Arsenal drew it up, but their trusty set pieces came to their rescue once more.
Arsenal put pressure on City
Manchester City will have been watching this game, probably in their team hotel in London, and with 20 minutes remaining would have been thinking three points at Crystal Palace on Sunday could see them go top. Even more so after Wolves levelled in stoppage time.
Now, the must win to keep the gap at two points. But they will be aware that Arsenal are looking more fallible than they did a few weeks ago.
It’s hard to see anyone that isn’t City stopping the Gunners, even though Aston Villa are just a point behind the Blues.
But Palace away is a tricky assignment. The Eagles can close to within a couple of points of City themselves with a win amid another impressive season under Oliver Glasner.
Wolves’ nightmare continues
A better performance for Rob Edwards’ side, but a familiar result. This was a ninth straight Premier League defeat and leaves them on just two points from 13 matches, a mammoth 13 points adrift of safety.
Edwards is yet to taste victory since succeeding Vitor Pereira at Molineux and with fans protesting against the ownership of Fosun and executive chairman Jeff Shi, it’s not an enjoyable period in the Black Country.
They look almost certain to return to the Championship after eight unbroken years in the top flight which included a run to the Europa League quarter-finals under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Those heady days seem a long way away.
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