Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League as the Gunners saw off a depleted Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at Molineux.
Leandro Trossard sliced in on the cusp of half-time and Martin Odegaard rounded things off in stoppage time as the Gunners bounced back from last Sunday’s defeat to Aston Villa and their UEFA Champions League exit in midweek.
With Manchester City not in action this weekend due to their FA Cup semi-final commitments, Mikel Arteta’s team took full advantage to return to the summit, with five games remaining.
Arsenal face Chelsea next, but will go into that match on Tuesday with a one-point advantage over City, while Liverpool will hope to keep the pace by beating Fulham on Sunday.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Man City
MCI
|
38 | +62 | 91 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
38 | +62 | 89 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
38 | +45 | 82 |
How the match unfolded
The Gunners were on top during the early exchanges. Kai Havertz volleyed straight at Jose Sa inside the opening minute, while Declan Rice shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
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However, David Raya had to be on top form at the other end after Joao Gomes embarked on a strong run down the right flank and unleashed a fierce shot from a tight angle, which Arsenal’s goalkeeper brilliantly tipped onto a post.
But it was the Gunners who broke through just before half-time, with the persistent Gabriel Jesus teeing up Trossard, whose somewhat sliced first-time drive arrowed towards the top-right corner, rattling in off the corner of post and crossbar.
Havertz volleyed straight at Sa 10 minutes into what transpired to be a rather uneventful second half, after Arsenal had kept matters alive from a set-piece.
But with Wolves – who sit 11th – lacking so many key players due to injury, their hopes of a comeback always looked set to prove fruitless, and after Sa had denied Rice and then substitute Gabriel Martinelli, Odegaard finally rounded matters off deep into stoppage time, curling home from a cute angle to finish the job and put Arsenal’s title challenge firmly back on track.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 |
West Ham
WHU
|
38 | -14 | 52 |
| 10 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
38 | -1 | 49 |
| 11 |
Brighton
BHA
|
38 | -7 | 48 |
| 12 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
38 | -13 | 48 |
| 13 |
Fulham
FUL
|
38 | -6 | 47 |
In keeping a sixth consecutive away clean sheet, Raya becomes only the second goalkeeper in Premier League history to achieve this feat, after Edwin van der Sar did so for Manchester United between November 2008-February 2009.
Club reports
Wolves report | Arsenal report
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Key facts
Only Bukayo Saka (14) has more Premier League goals for Arsenal this season than Leandro Trossard (9), while Trossard’s eight goal involvements in the competition against Wolves (2 goals, 6 assists) is more than against any other side.
Since the start of last season, only Erling Haaland (27), Mohamed Salah (26) and Ollie Watkins (24) have been involved in more Premier League goals away from home than Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard (23 – 14 goals, 9 assists). Indeed, his goal was his 50th goal involvement in the competition (31 goals, 19 assists).
Wolves have lost each of their last six Premier League games against Arsenal, only against Liverpool between January 2011 and May 2022 (11 games) have they suffered a longer run of successive defeats against a side in the competition.
Arsenal have now kept a clean sheet in each of their last six Premier League away games, only Chelsea in December 2008 and Manchester United in February 2009 (both 7) have enjoyed longer such runs in the competition’s history.