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Arsenal MATCH REPORT Wolves by Always Wolves 3 minutes ago
Wolves 2 Arsenal 2: Wolves Stun Arsenal Late After Second-Half Revival
Karl Whitehouse reports on Wolves v Arsenal
Setting the scene
It was top versus bottom in the Premier League as Arsenal visited Molineux. Arsenal arrived looking to extend their lead in the title race, while Wolves were searching for only their second league win of the season.
This fixture was brought forward from its original date because Arsenal were involved in the League Cup final.
Line-ups
Rob Edwards made four changes from the cup match against Grimsby Town. Mikel Arteta made seven changes from Arsenal’s cup game against Wigan Athletic.
Wolves XI: Sa, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, Tchatchoua, Bellegarde, Andre, A Gomes, H Bueno, Mane, Armstrong.
Subs: Doherty, Wolfe, J Gomes, Tolu, Lima, R Gomes, Johnstone, Rawlings, Edozie.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Hincapie, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber, Rice, Zubimendi, Madueke, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres.
Subs: Mosquera, White, Jesus, Eze, Arrizabalaga, Norgaard, Trossard, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly.
First half
Wolves kicked off, but Arsenal started brighter and caused problems for the Wolves back line straight away. The opening goal came after four minutes when Declan Rice crossed to Bukayo Saka, who headed in unmarked. Wolves were punished for failing to track his run.
After the early setback, Wolves saw very little of the ball as Arsenal kept the pressure high. Madueke went close as the visitors pushed for a second.
Wolves were then forced into an early change as Angel Gomes went off injured, with Tolu Arokodare coming on. The substitution shifted the plan, but Wolves still struggled to build attacks and had not tested Raya by the half-hour mark.
Madueke and Santi Bueno had a brief tussle, but the referee quickly shut it down. With Tolu on the pitch, Wolves at least had an outlet to hold the ball up, but the passing and support around him needed to be sharper.
Mosquera launched a couple of long throws into the Arsenal box, but they came to nothing. In first-half stoppage time, Andre had Wolves’ best chance with a low drive that flashed narrowly wide.
Deep into added time, Hincapie went down in the box after a challenge by Andre. VAR checked it and ruled no penalty. Wolves went in a goal down and were arguably fortunate it was only one. Santi Bueno was booked for dissent after the whistle.
Half-time: Wolves 0 Arsenal 1
Second half
There were no changes at the break. The second half began at a slower tempo, with fouls and misplaced passes from both sides. Wolves started it better and finally showed more intent going forward. Armstrong went close with a clever turn and a shot from outside the box.
Arsenal then struck at the other end. Gabriel played a ball through to Hincapie, who finished well. The flag went up for offside, but VAR checked and awarded the goal.
Wolves responded brilliantly. Hugo Bueno, found by Santiago Bueno, had time and space on the right. He stepped inside and curled a superb shot from outside the box past Raya to give Wolves hope.
Wolves looked far more creative after the goal and made their second change, with Tchatchoua coming off and Rodrigo Gomes on for extra energy. Bellegarde picked up a yellow card for bringing down Zubimendi to stop a counter.
In the final 10 minutes, Armstrong did excellent defensive work to stop what looked like a certain Arsenal chance. Wolves then brought on Tom Edozie for Bellegarde, marking Edozie’s Premier League debut, as they chased an unlikely equaliser.
Arsenal began to manage the clock and slow the game, but Wolves kept pushing. In stoppage time, Mane’s cross caused chaos. Raya came to claim it with Gabriel in front of him, but the ball broke to Edozie, who finished to make it 2-2 in the 94th minute and send Molineux into bedlam.
The final whistle confirmed a huge point for Wolves, although the match ended with some unsavoury scenes.
Full-time: Wolves 2 Arsenal 2
Conclusion
This was a game of two halves. The first half fell short, but the second half showed real fight and improvement, with Wolves causing Arsenal problems and earning a deserved point.
Player of the match: Hugo Bueno
A standout performance, capped by an excellent first Premier League goal and plenty of quality down the flank.
I’ve been a dedicated Wolves fan for over 30 years, supporting the team through the highs and lows of the 80s, 90s, and 00s. I’ve followed them home and away, growing my love for the game into a passion for analyzing Wolves’ performances, especially diving into the stats behind their Premier League matches.
As the go-to person for Wolves stats on podcasts, I also love exploring football history for deeper insights. One of my proudest achievements is completing the journey to all 92 Football League grounds.
Wolves 2 Arsenal 2: Wolves Stun Arsenal Late After Second-Half Revival