Arsenal Grind Past Wolves to Go Five Points Clear at the Top
Arsenal laboured through a difficult night at the Emirates but still found enough in the closing stages to edge Wolves 2-1. Two late own goals, both forced by Bukayo Saka, secured a win that stretches the Gunners’ lead at the Premier League summit.
Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League after surviving a tense evening against a stubborn Wolves side. The Gunners controlled possession throughout but struggled to break down a disciplined low block, requiring two late moments of pressure to squeeze out a 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
The first half offered frustration rather than fluency. Despite enjoying long stretches of dominance, Arsenal could not fashion a single shot on target. Their best openings arrived from crosses, with Timber and Martinelli heading over the bar, while Wolves carved out the clearest chance of the half when Hee Chan Hwang raced through and forced David Raya into a strong save. Arsenal’s problems deepened when Ben White limped off clutching his hamstring around the half-hour mark, adding to the club’s growing injury list.
After the interval, Arsenal continued to probe with little incision. Wolves sat deep, invited crosses, and waited for moments to counter. Declan Rice sent a free-kick over the bar before finally testing Sam Johnstone in the sixty-eighth minute with a firm drive from outside the box. It was the Gunners’ first shot on target and a sign that they were beginning to raise their urgency.
Less than two minutes later, Arsenal found their breakthrough in the most unusual manner. Bukayo Saka curled an inswinging corner toward the far post, the ball grazed Johnstone’s fingertips, struck the woodwork, and ricocheted off the goalkeeper’s back into the net. A scrappy goal, but a priceless one for a team struggling to create clear-cut chances.
The match appeared settled until Wolves stunned the home crowd in stoppage time. Substitute Mateus Mane whipped in a pinpoint delivery and Tolu Arokodare rose brilliantly to guide a header straight down the middle, leaving Raya rooted. It was Arokodare’s first Premier League goal and suddenly Wolves, winless all season, sensed an opportunity for an unlikely point.
Arsenal, though, responded with resilience. Saka once again produced the decisive moment. He surged to the byline and sent in a teasing cross toward Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian jumped to meet it, but the final touch came from Yerson Mosquera, whose attempted clearance looped the ball into his own net. The Emirates erupted as the league leaders reclaimed their advantage in the dying moments.
The statistics reflected Arsenal’s superiority. They produced 1.02 expected goals compared to Wolves’ 0.38, but it still required two forced errors to complete the job. Wolves, meanwhile, remain bottom of the table, still without a win after sixteen matches but showing flashes of fight under Rob Edwards.
Arsenal’s performance may not convince the purists, but the outcome strengthens their position at the top ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Crystal Palace. For Mikel Arteta, the victory reinforces the character of a team learning how to win even when far from its best.
