Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence continued Arsenal’s dismal dwelling kind as Wolves left the Emirates with a 2-1 win, with Raul Jimenez taken to hospital suffering what appeared a serious head injury.
Jimenez was left unconscious following a conflict of heads with David Luiz contained in the opening minutes on the Emirates, resulting in a 10-minute stoppage, however Wolves by no means regarded again from the early lack of their talismanic ahead to win at Arsenal for the primary time since 1979.
Poor defending allowed Neto to fireside within the rebound from an Adama Traore cross (27), however the Gunners levelled from a uncommon first-half assault when Gabriel nodded in Willian’s nook shortly after (30).
Good particular person play from Podence restored the guests’ lead earlier than the break (42), and regardless of an improved second-half efficiency from Arsenal, they fell to their third dwelling defeat in a row.
A yr to the day from Unai Emery’s dismissal, they now sit 14th, six locations beneath their place when the previous supervisor was sacked, and eight beneath Wolves who rise to sixth.
Wolves roar despite Jimenez blow
A high-intensity opening from either side was stopped in its tracks by a sickening head damage suffered by striker Jimenez with lower than 5 minutes gone, with a purely unintentional collision with David Luiz from a nook leaving the Wolves ahead out chilly and brought to hospital after a 10-minute pause to place him on a stretcher.
From there, the sport understandably took its time to construct momentum, however as soon as it did, it got here again with a bang. First Traore was given house by Tierney to run on the Arsenal defence earlier than choosing out Dendoncker, whose poor header onto the bar was turned in on the rebound by Neto.
Gabriel’s equaliser made him Arsenal’s second-highest league goalscorer this season – with simply his second purpose
Inside three minutes Arsenal have been stage. A brief nook was returned to Willian who discovered Gabriel on the far submit and the Brazilian defender made no mistake from six yards, turning into Arsenal’s second-highest scorer for the season within the course of – an indication of the Gunners’ woes in entrance of purpose.
That blow didn’t rock Wolves, simply as they appeared to have shaken off the psychological fatigue of dropping Jimenez early on. Dendoncker headed into Leno’s palms from a nook of their very own as they continued to press, earlier than Neto would play a significant half once more as they retook the lead.
The ahead was allowed to run at Luiz earlier than his deflected shot bounced off Leno’s legs to Podence, who skilfully held onto the ball, rode a problem and beat the goalkeeper with a composed end.
Arsenal’s troubles have been summed up by the continued ineffectiveness of Aubameyang, who touched the ball solely eight occasions throughout the opening 45 minutes – with a kind of to fireside straight at Patricio from an angle he was by no means going to attain from.
The Gunners got here out for the second half with extra urgency, however they may hardly have had much less. Saka shinned a presentable alternative huge from Tierney’s cross 5 minutes after the restart, however minutes later Traore discovered himself booked for simulation after going over the leg of Gabriel, who on second viewing appeared to have trodden on the winger’s boot.
Rob Holding, a half-time change for the clearly affected Luiz, might have levelled had he timed his bounce higher from a Saka cross, earlier than Aubameyang’s insecurity was completely highlighted after robbing Patricio of the ball 18 yards out, however giving the goalkeeper lengthy sufficient to get again onto his line and save his shot when it will definitely got here.
That marked the beginning of the Gunners’ actual enchancment, with 20 minutes to go, as Wolves nerves on the prospect a primary win at Arsenal in additional than 40 years grew to become obvious.
Reiss Nelson fired over on the volley earlier than Aubameyang headed Hector Bellerin’s inviting cross huge from a fantastic place, however the hosts’ efforts weren’t sufficient. Their dismal dwelling run was prolonged to a 3rd consecutive defeat, as they dropped additional off the tempo, sandwiched between Newcastle and Crystal Palace, in 14th.
What the managers stated…
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta: “We now have to place the ball within the web. We create the possibilities, however in the long run it is placing the ball within the web. Within the first half they’ve two pictures on track and rating two objectives.
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“Once we had the possibilities, we did not. The objectives will come, now we have to insist, and now we have to maintain pushing the gamers and imagine in them.”
Wolves head coach Nuno Santo on his crew’s response after Jimenez’s damage: “Wonderful, I’m very proud at this time. Particularly at this time, as a result of this crew confirmed coronary heart, an actual perception, the way in which they run, they work, it was actually good to see.”
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Man of the match – Pedro Neto
How typically do you see an attacking participant final 90 minutes and full each one in all his opposition-half passes throughout the sport? Not typically. Neto managed it – and extra importantly, in fact, obtained a purpose for his troubles.
He performed an enormous half in Podence’s winner too, and made three key passes, greater than anybody else in a Wolves shirt. Are they lacking Diogo Jota? Not a lot, on this proof.
Opta information
- Arsenal have misplaced three consecutive Premier League video games on the Emirates for the second time because the begin of final season (additionally December 2019); earlier than this, they’d by no means beforehand suffered three consecutive dwelling defeats within the competitors.
- Wolves have amassed 17 factors on this season’s Premier League (W5 D2 L3); that is their most after their first 10 video games of a top-flight marketing campaign since 1979-80 (20 – adjusting to 3 factors for a win).
- Arsenal’s tally of 13 factors is their lowest after their opening 10 matches of any league marketing campaign because the 1981-82 season (12).
- Throughout 2020, solely Manchester United (9) have received extra Premier League fixtures away from dwelling than Wolves (seven – stage with Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis and Southampton).
- Arsenal have misplaced 5 of their final eight league video games (W2 D1), this after having solely misplaced 5 of their first 22 such matches underneath Mikel Arteta (W11 D6 L5).
- Arsenal recorded simply two pictures on track at dwelling to Wolves this night – since Arsène Wenger left the membership, they’ve solely managed fewer in a single dwelling sport within the Premier League (1 v Man Metropolis in December 2019).
What’s subsequent?
Arsenal host Fast Vienna within the Europa League on Thursday evening; kick-off at 8pm. They then journey to Tottenham within the north London Derby on Tremendous Sunday stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League from 4.15pm; Kick-off at 4.30pm.
Wolves’ subsequent league sport can be subsequent Sunday, with a go to to champions Liverpool; Kick-off at 7.15pm.
