Premier League GW14 - Arsenal vs Wolves

Arsenal vs Wolves | Picture Credits: Arsenal Website

A thrilling Premier League matchup between league leaders Arsenal and tenacious Wolves provided a football spectacle for fans at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners were keen to continue their strong play and keep their lead at the top, while Wolves wanted to get over their previous loss to Fulham.

Arsenal:

With Manchester City out until Sunday, Arsenal may try to improve on their second-place finish from the previous season by finishing Saturday four points ahead of the pack! Mikel Arteta's team will be greatly inspired by that, given they had to work hard to defeat Brentford 1-0 last week. They then brilliantly warmed up for this match in midweek, crushing Lens 6-0 in the UEFA Champions League after jumping out to a five-goal lead at the interval. The Gunners supporters would definitely be cheering for a similar showing here!

Wolves:

On Monday, Wolves and Gary O'Neil faced a familiar tale as they lost 3-2 to Fulham on their second straight Premier League away trip due to a stoppage-time penalty. In the game, Marco Silva's team was given two dubious penalties, and they were arguably fortunate to keep 11 players on the field. As a result, O'Neil declared in his post-match interview that he had "finally turned against" the use of VAR. He will be hoping that Wolves can overcome this dispute, but they have a difficult challenge ahead of them as they take against the leaders without Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes, the suspended midfield combo.

Line Ups:

ARSENAL (4-3-3):

David Raya; Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard; Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli.

ARSENAL SUBS: Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Cedric Soares, Jorginho, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz.

WOLVES (3-4-3):

Jose Sa; Maximilian Kilman, Craig Dawson, Toti Gomes; Nelson Semedo, Boubacar Traore, Tommy Doyle, Hugo Bueno; Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee-chan.

WOLVES SUBS: Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno, Fabio Silva, Sasa Kalajdzic, Pablo Sarabia, Dan Bentley, Tawanda Chirewa, Matthew Whittingham, Justin Hubner.

Emirates Stadium | Picture Credits: Wolves Website

First Half: Saka and Odegaard Shine

The Gunners made an immediate impression on Wolves with their brilliant first-half display, leaving them chasing shadows. Arsenal's attacking strength was demonstrated in the sixth minute as Bukayo Saka finished clinically past Jose Sa following a flawless team move. In the 13th minute, Oleksandr Zinchenko started a fantastic team move that Martin Odegaard finished, doubling the lead.

Wolves battled to stay in the game even though they were behind by two goals. But Arsenal squandered great chances to increase their lead. Sa's prompt efforts denied Leandro Trossard's chance, which Odegaard had excellently set up, and later Toti Gomes' goal-line clearance kept the visitors in contention.

Arsenal led 2-0 and was comfortably ahead at the break. With their slick attacking game, Mikel Arteta's team gave Wolves a mountain to climb in the second half. The Gunners' dominant position was largely due to Saka's clinical finishing and Odegaard's dominance in the midfield.

Second Half: Wolves' Late Rally

In the second half, Wolves looked more determined to take advantage of Arsenal's defensive errors. Gabriel Jesus claimed a penalty, adding drama, but VAR rejected the request, keeping Arsenal ahead.

In a surprising turn of events, Wolves refused to die peacefully. In the 86th minute, Matheus Cunha took advantage of a defensive blunder and struck a beautiful shot into the upper-left corner. Tension suddenly filled the Emirates as Wolves attempted an improbable comeback.

Eddie Nketiah twice struck the post as Arsenal attempted to score a decisive third goal in the last minutes. But wolves held their ground. The final whistle ultimately signified Arsenal's valiant 2-1 victory. With this important victory, the Gunners kept their lead at the top of the table.

Nerve-Wracking Triumph for Arsenal

Arsenal defeated a resolute Wolves team in a gripping match, much to the delight of the Emirates crowd. Saka and Odegaard's early mastery proved important, as Wolves' late charge upped the tension in the match. As the competition for the Premier League gets closer, Wolves are attempting to gather strength for their next match against Burnley, while Arsenal is focusing on approaching obstacles. A spectacular show was presented to football fans, and the drama in the Premier League is still developing.

Saka celebrating after scoring and giving Arsenal the lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Odegaard's goal gave Arsenal a two-goal advantage | Picture Credits: Arsenal Website

Cunha scored with an exquisite shot | Picture Credits: Premier League Website