Arsenal struggles but narrowly beats Wolves 1-0

Arsenal faced another challenging test in their pursuit of Premier League leaders Liverpool, this time at Molineux against Wolverhampton Wanderers. After dropping points in a 2-2 draw at home to Aston Villa last week, Mikel Arteta’s side once again found themselves in a tight contest, with key moments involving a red card, missed opportunities, and a crucial late goal from substitute Riccardo Calafiori.

First half: missed opportunities and a red card

The match began with a strong defensive setup from both sides, and Arsenal, fielding Jurriën Timber at right-back along with teenagers Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, struggled to break down Wolves’ resilient defense. While Kai Havertz had a golden opportunity to give Arsenal the lead, he was denied by Wolves goalkeeper José Sá, who made a key save to keep the game scoreless. However, the real turning point came just before the break. After a corner kick—one of Arsenal’s usual weapons—was cleared by Wolves, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal’s 18-year-old left-back, fouled Matt Doherty on the halfway line. The foul, committed after a poor clearance from the corner, was deemed dangerous by referee Michael Oliver, who showed the young defender a straight red card. This decision sparked outrage among the Arsenal players, with protests from the squad that led to a yellow card for Timber. The sending off left Arsenal with ten men for the remainder of the match and put them in a difficult position against a Wolves side that had already been growing into the game.

Wolves’ push and Arsenal’s resilience

With Arsenal down to ten, Wolves started to apply more pressure in the second half. Matheus Cunha came close to scoring on several occasions, but Arsenal’s defense, with Timber and the rest of the backline stepping up, managed to hold firm. However, things began to swing in Arsenal's favor when Wolves' João Gomes received a second yellow card in the 70th minute, evening up the playing field. The game was now in the balance, and Wolves’ manager Vitor Pereira was furious that his team was unable to capitalize on their man advantage before Gomes’ red card. Arsenal, though, seized the moment and struck decisively. A cleared Arsenal cross found its way to Riccardo Calafiori, who fired in a half-volley past Sá to give the Gunners the lead, 1-0. The goal came quickly after the red card, and Arsenal looked to see out the match with their advantage.

Arsenal holds firm

With the teams back to ten men each, Arsenal managed to hold onto their slender 1-0 lead. Wolves pushed forward, but Arsenal’s defense remained resilient, and they secured the three points that kept them six points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League standings. While the victory was hard-fought and marred by the controversial red card, Arsenal showed character and resilience to come away with all three points. The win was a crucial one as they remain in touch with Liverpool, despite the challenges they’ve faced in recent weeks. For Wolves, the match was a frustrating one, as they failed to make the most of their opportunities in the second half. Despite having a numerical advantage for a while, they couldn’t break down a determined Arsenal defense. Arsenal, on the other hand, will be relieved to have secured the win, with Arteta’s men facing further challenges ahead as they continue their pursuit of the title.