Key stats
- Arsenal have scored in 24 of their 27 games; no team has done so more often in the Premier League this season.
- Bukayo Saka scored after just four minutes and 17 seconds, the fastest goal for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
- Three players have scored their first ever Premier League goals against Arsenal this season, while two of those have been for Wolves: Tolu Arokodare in December, and Hugo Bueno tonight (also Brian Brobbey for Sunderland in November).
Highlights
Analysis
Post-match comments
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports: "Very tough to accept it. In the second half, we did not perform in the way we should and the way we require to win a Premier League match. It is better not to judge it; we are all too emotional about it. You have to take the hit because we deserve it.
"It is very easy with emotion to say things that can damage the team. Everyone wants to do their best. You have to go through tough periods. Today, at the last minute, we paid the price. We have to do basic things much better than we have done."
"We need to be critical of ourselves because it was not good enough. In the league, it is the reality that we have not been consistent over the last few months. You have to stand up. When you have a difficult moment, we have to show how much we want it and how good we are. We have to stand up."
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka to Sky Sports: "Very disappointed with the result and especially with the way we played in the second half. Far from the standards we've set this season.
"It's time for us to reflect on the last few performances and fix the issues immediately, so we can get back to winning games, go on a run and build momentum because we've lost that a bit right now.
"I just think we have to get back to our level. Do the basics right, and we've got more than enough quality in this team to win games, especially in the games where we've been dropping points in recently. We need to fix tha,t and that's all our focus is right now."
Match report
On paper, there was only one winner in this clash between basement boys Wolves and league leaders Arsenal, and true to form, the Gunners hit the front early.
There was an element of simplicity to their opener, as Wolves afforded Declan Rice too much time on the edge of the area and Bukayo Saka ghosted into the area from his new central position and headed home his delivery.
Merely getting out of their own half was proving to be problematic for Wolves, and Arsenal’s unrelenting pressure almost yielded a second goal when a smart double save from José Sá first denied Noni Madueke and then Gabriel Martinelli.
An enforced change as Angel Gomes was replaced by Tolu Arokodare ought to have helped Wolves out in an attacking sense, but it had little material impact on how Rob Edwards’ men looked going forward.
By the time the fourth official held up the board to signal five minutes of stoppage time, the hosts hadn’t had a shot, but a pop-shot from distance from André which trickled harmlessly wide of the goal spared Wolves from going into the break without having an attempt.
They had a better opening eight minutes in the second half when January recruit Adam Armstrong went inside onto his weaker left foot and rifled an effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Any chances of the hosts getting back into the game were seemingly extinguished just moments later when Gabriel’s defence-splitting pass released Piero Hincapié in behind and he confidently hammered home his first goal for the club.
Just as Mikel Arteta’s men thought they had the game wrapped up, a moment of magic saw Hugo Bueno curl his effort from the edge of the area into the top corner to reignite the game as a contest.
Wolves didn’t particularly threaten to score a second goal as Arsenal looked to be managing the game incredibly well, but a late mix up David Raya and Gabriel saw the ball drop kindly to Edozie, whose ferocious low drive was deflected off the line and into the bottom corner to lift off the Molineux roof and leave Arteta’s men crestfallen.
For the Gunners, this was a huge opportunity missed before Manchester City’s match on Saturday and a hammer blow to confidence levels before Sunday’s North London derby.
A point won’t change much for Wolves, who will be playing Championship football next season barring a miracle, but tonight was a rare high point in their dismal campaign.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Piero Hincapié (Arsenal)