Arsenal’s players did not score a single goal, although the team won 2-1 at home against league jumbo Wolves.
Declan Rice (left) was already getting frustrated with Arsenal’s ineffectiveness. EPA / AOP
In the history of the Premier League, the league leader had met the jumbo team a total of 41 times before Saturday.
Of these matches, the league’s number one had won 30 times, and seven times the match had ended in a draw. But of the four surprising times when the bottom of the league had actually knocked down the top of the league, Wolverhampton Wanderers had done the trick twice.
Maybe that’s why a little fear had crept into the Arsenal manager as well Mikel Arteta to mind, when the Gunners were looking for a forced win against the Wolves pack that started the season miserably.
At least based on the opening period, the away team was even closer to the opening win of the season than Arsenal was to the full points pot they were missing.
Viktor Gyökeres was completely out of the game again, and the other red shirts weren’t able to create dangerous situations either Sam Johnstone to the goal.
Arsenal’s goal expectancy was just 0.43, and Wolves recorded the only shot on target in the opening period.
Wolves close to a surprise
After the break, the settings became even more clearly visible. Wolves began to bide their time and hope for a clean sheet.
Arteta started to get really nervous, and already in the 57th minute he sent by Martin Ødegaard, by Leandro Trossardi and Mikel Merino with a triple change to the field.
Arsenal suffered a loss to Aston Villa in the previous round, and its situation would not have allowed any more surprising points losses.
The opening goal in the 70th minute brought collective relief at the Emirates. The goal itself is one of the most special in Premier League history because it was born directly Bukayo Germany from a corner kick.
The ball arched gracefully over the players and hit the back post. From there it bounced into the neck of Wolves keeper Johnstone and through it into the net.
Manager Mikel Arteta (black jacket) tried to wake up ineffective Arsenal with substitutions. EPA / AOP
The match came to life only in the last minutes, when first Toluwalase Arokodare leveled the game by directing Jackson Tchatchouan shot into the net.
Having captured only two points this season, Wolves only had time to enjoy the budding shock result for a moment, because the top Yerson Mosquera headed Saka’s cross into his own goal in the fourth minute of added time.
Arsenal won 2–1, although their players did not score a single goal (both goals were recorded as own goals by Wolves players). The result keeps the Gunners at the top of the league for sure, regardless of the result of Sunday’s Crystal Palace–Manchester City match.