Arsenal 2-1 Wolves: Early strikes by Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard send the Gunners four points clear of Man City at Premier League summit but Matheus Cunha’s strike ensured a nervy finale at the Emirates
- Mikel Arteta’s side took control of the contest through Saka’s sixth-minute goal
- Odegaard doubled their advantage just 13 minutes in as Gunners dominated
- But Matheus Cunha gave Wolves late hope with lovely curling effort
- Gary O’Neil has reached his last resort over Wolves decisions: It’s All Kicking Off
No complaints, no VAR injustice, not much of a contest. There have been days this season when those Wolves of Gary O’Neil had a right to howl, but here they were rolled on to their back for a good tummy scratch.
Who knows where this will all end for Arsenal, because they have spent time at such altitudes before, of course. But for now their lead at the top is four points and they are looking ever so comfortable.
This scoreline might suggest otherwise, but numbers can tell misleading stories. In truth, this game was done within 13 minutes – the time it took for Bukayo Saka to do something nice and for Martin Odegaard to upstage him with a goal of substantial beauty.
It has been a quirk of Arsenal’s campaign that they had not scored inside the opening quarter of an hour of a league game so it was a decent way to put those statistics to bed.
From there, they demonstrated control, patience, a little restraint – in other words, the Arsenal 2.0 that has had the feel of an upgrade on what we saw when they previously contended for the title.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka celebrates his opening goal after six minutes at the Emirates Stadium
The England star helped the Gunners start the contest in perfect fashion on Saturday
Saka fires home as Mikel Arteta’s team made a lightning-fast start against Wolves
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If there was a blot, it was that they conceded late on to Matheus Cunha, costing a seventh clean sheet in the league and a 10th across all competitions.
It was unnecessary and cheap in how it happened – Oleksandr Zinchenko’s only error of the day – but it wasn’t punitive. It didn’t spark a comeback or even a discernible flutter of anxiety.
Maybe, Arsenal should have put the peddle down harder when they went up. Maybe the score would have been a truer reflection of the game had Mikel Arteta’s side not hit the woodwork twice. But it was a strong performance and their third straight league win – they are looking very good indeed.
In the minutiae, that was best shown by Saka, who was immense in the first half before tailing off – he has scored or assisted 18 times in 20 games – and likewise Odegaard.
But collectively they were excellent beyond the concession on 86 minutes. For once, neither of these managers could hold many gripes.
As regards to O’Neil, he had arrived with a plan. Not a great plan, but he had an idea and it seemed decent enough – they would sit behind a packed midfield, absorb what they could and trigger the spring when the ball came their way.
It felt reasonable in theory, given those low-blocks have caused Arsenal pockets of irritation this season, but it was also the sort of plan that brought to mind what Mike Tyson quite famously said about them.
Here, Wolves got smacked in the mouth hard and early and often. Arteta had only tweaked his deck after the hammering of Lens in midweek, with the demotion of Kai Havertz for the enhanced mobility of Leandro Trossard, but the collective walloping they dealt out will shield that decision from any deeper analysis.
Gunners captain Martin Odegaard celebrates after doubling their advantage on 13 minutes
The Norwegian finishes from inside the penalty box to put Arsenal firmly in command
Odegaard celebrates in front of the home fans as Arsenal took a strong grip on the game
Wolves were quickly on the back foot as Arsenal looked to extend their lead at the top
The opening goal came after six minutes and it was lovely for its short-ball simplicity, starting when Saka took possession on the right and sucked Toti and Hugo Bueno towards him.
Into the space behind them surged Gabriel Jesus and after a blitz of fast, little passes Saka worked his way through via the side-stepping of Craig Dawson. He rolled a finish across Jose Sa and Arsenal had their 100th goal of 2023.
That was a classic of the Arsenal genre – the scalpel over the axe – but the second goal was even nicer on the eye.
The point of origin was an overhit cross by Saka, but the escalation from there was wonderful to see – Oleksandr Zinchenko had retrieved possession and set in a motion a series of three first-time passes between himself and Jesus and then on to Odegaard.
Keeping to the pattern, the Norwegian opted against a touch and simply nailed the finish off his left foot from 15 yards.
For a man whose season has been interrupted by hip problems, a concussion and subtle tactical tweaks into a deeper role, it was a fine reminder of his qualities.
The manner in which he delayed his run prior to the strike, thus allowing the defence to clear as they surged to Zinchenko, was as much an exhibition of his football intellect as well as his technique.
Matheus Cunha gave Wolves late hope of salvaging something with an 86th-minute strike
Cunha curled the ball into the top corner after two Arsenal players collided into one another
Frustrated Wolves boss Gary O’Neil remonstrates with the match officials at the final whistle
Wolves would soon lose Jose Sa to injury and across the remainder of the half also incurred close shaves from Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli, who hit the post.
In response, their best of a tiny sample of openings came when Hwang Hee-chan was blocked on his way through by David Raya. In the ongoing debate around Arsenal goalkeepers, it was a positive moment for Raya.
The rest of the Wolves efforts were quite pitiful, but they found some energy at the break. Matheus Cunha, so peripheral in the first half, forced a save early in the second period, and generally O’Neil’s side began to find some traction in the middle.
Nothing that would count as a platform for assaults on Raya but it was a sufficient shield, best shown by Arsenal’s diminished effectiveness going forward. Beyond a shot dragged wide by Declan Rice, they offered very little, though it was still against the run of play when Cunha made it 2-1.
If Arsenal were to seek responsibility, it would fall on Zinchenko, otherwise excellent, who was caught on the ball by Nelson Semedo in his own area before Cunha lashed in the loose ball. A good finish.
Eddie Nketiah hit the post as Arsenal sensed a risk, but they had already done enough.
Gabriel Jesus misses an opportunity right in front of the Wolves goal as Arsenal push forward
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya closes down Wolves’ Hwang Hee-Chan in a one-on-one
Match facts and ratings
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya 6.5; Tomiyasu 7 (White 79), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7.5; Odegaard (c) 8 (Jorginho 90+3), Rice 7.5, Trossard 6.5; Saka 8 (Kiwior 90+3), Gabriel Jesus 7 (Nketiah 67, 6), Martinelli 6.5 (Havertz 78)
Substitutes not used: Ramsdale (GK); Cedric Soares, Nelson, Elneny
Manager: Mikel Arteta 8
Scorers: Saka 6; Odegaard 13 Booked: Saliba
Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-5-2): Sa 5.5 (Bentley 23, 6); Kilman (c) 6, Dawson 6.5, Toti 5.5; Semedo 6, Traore 6, Doyle 6 (Kalajdzic 90+3), Bellegarde 6 (Sarabia 63, 6), Bueno 7 (Doherty 62, 6); Cunha 6.5, Hwang 5
Substitutes not used: Fabio Silva, Chirewa, Whittingham, Huber
Manager: Gary O’Neil 5.5
Scorer: Cunha 86 Booked: Hwang, Cunha
Referee: Peter Bankes 7 Attendance: 60,262
A scramble for the ball as Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard challenges Matheus Cunha
Gabriel Jesus appeals as he falls to the ground as another Arsenal opportunity is spurned
An animated Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta pictured on the sidelines at the Emirates Stadium
Gabriel Jesus is denied by the Wolves goalkeeper Daniel Bentley diving at full stretch
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