Wolves bite themselves twice in Arsenal loss

On paper, it looked like a banker and an opportunity for Mikel Arteta to experiment with ideas that could be useful against more demanding opponents; in practice, it turned into a nerve-wracking affair, fueled by the fear of a slip-up that could potentially cost him the title. If Arsenal fail to lift it at the end of the season, it will not be because of Wolverhampton, since they overcame them in the 16th round of the Premier League — with a great deal of luck and two own goals — to win 2–1. Still, few could have imagined that the worst team in the English top flight would toy with the nerves of the London club in this way and put their championship DNA to the test. That DNA was demonstrated once again through a stoppage-time goal — one that, when the season is finally tallied, could prove decisive in the title race. The first came in September, when Gabriel Martinelli earned a point against Manchester City; the second just a week later, when Gabriel gifted Arsenal victory in Newcastle; and the third this Saturday, when an unfortunate intervention by Wolves centre-back Yerson Mosquera prevented his team from scripting the biggest upset of the current season.

The biggest by far, because while it is expected that the Premier League leaders might wobble against a direct title rival or suffer at one of England’s toughest away grounds, what bottom-placed and widely written-off Wolverhampton produced this evening was something few could have foreseen. They went toe to toe with the title favourites right until the very end, as if the 31-point gap between the teams before kick-off did not exist.

When substitute Tolu Arokodare equalised in the 90th minute, it seemed the gap between the two sides would remain unchanged after the conclusion of Round 16. But shortly afterwards came a sequence that perfectly encapsulated the season of the West Midlands side. In the fourth of nine added minutes, Bukayo Saka attempted to find Gabriel Jesus with a cross from the wing, and Mosquera, trying to intervene in front of the recently recovered Brazilian, headed the ball into his own net past Sam Johnstone — the same Johnstone who had earlier already turned the ball into his own goal, again following a Saka cross. That one came from one of the eight corners Arsenal won on the night.

Set pieces have been a trademark of Arteta’s team of late, but the weapon they most often used to unlock opponents had seemed to misfire in recent weeks. Arsenal had not scored from a set piece in the Premier League since 1 November and the match against Burnley, when Viktor Gyokeres netted from a corner. Less than a month and a half later, another delivery from the corner flag proved decisive. Saka whipped the ball in, nearly scoring directly from the corner; it rebounded off the post, struck Johnstone on the back, and ended up in the net. With a fair amount of luck, but fully deserved, Arsenal finally broke through the visitors’ compact lines in the 70th minute — lines so well organised that even Arteta himself would not have been ashamed of them. Up to that point, Arsenal had been in control of the match, but their dominance in possession produced not a single clear-cut chance. In fact, they were so uninspired and toothless in the first half that, for the first time this season, they went into the break without registering a single shot on target. But with two unfortunate Wolves' own goals, they won in the end, much harder than expected.

PREMIER LEAGUE - ROUND 16

Saturday

Chelsea - Everton 2-0 (2-0)

/Palmer 21, Gusto 45/

Liverpool - Brighton 2-0 (1-0)

/Ekitike 1, 60/

Burnley - Fulham 2-3 (1-2)

/Ugochukwu 21, Sonne 86 - Smith Rowe 9, Bassey 31, Wilson 58/

Arsenal - Wolverhampton 2-1 (0-0)

/Johnstone 70(og), Mosquera 90+4 (og) - Arokodare 90/

Sunday

17.00: (4.00) Crystal Palace (3.60) Man.City (1.90)

17.00: (2.55) Nott.Forest (3.25) Tottenham (2.85)

17.00: (3.30) Sunderland (3.45) Newcastle (2.30)

17.00: (3.80) West Ham (3.50) Aston Villa (2.00)

19.30: (2.00) Brentford (3.60) Leeds (4.10)

Monday

23.00: (1.83) Man.Utd. (4.00) Bournemouth (4.05)

*** odds are subject to change ***