Leandro Trossard‘s fortuitous slice was enough to send Arsenal back to the Premier League summit as the meanest defence in the division kept their sixth consecutive clean sheet away from home.
It was largely dull and ill-tempered at Molineux but Mikel Arteta won’t care as his side put a couple of dodgy results behind them to secure the kind of ugly win potential champions sometimes need – with skipper Martin Odegaard adding a late second in added time.
Trossard’s swing of the right boot on the stroke of half-time skewed past Jose Sa at an awkward angle for his 14th goal of the season.
Arteta’s side face Chelsea on Tuesday aware that another win would leave Manchester City kicking off at Brighton on Thursday four points behind the Gunners albeit with two games in hand.
Mikel Arteta made three changes as he sought a quick pick-me-up from defeats against Aston Villa and Bayern Munich.
Leandro Trossard’s strike helped kick-start Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday
The Belgian appeared to slice his shot which eventually curled into the back of the net
The win lifts the Gunners top of the league, though Man City and Liverpool have games in hand
For Wolves, Gary O’Neil named 15-year-old Wes Okoduwa and four other teenagers on his bench as he dealt with an injury list including Nelson Semedo, Pedro Neto, Craig Dawson and Matheus Cunha.
With Manchester City in FA Cup semi-final action and Liverpool waiting until Sunday for their Premier League game at Fulham, it was an early opportunity for Arsenal to apply some pressure.
The banner at Molineux that reads ‘The Strength of the Wolf is in the pack’ had never looked more appropriate.
Wolves needed teamwork to overcome the huge gap in experience and pedigree between the two starting line-ups.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, who had operated successfully as a central striker in recent weeks, dropped back as an inside-forward to accommodate the Gabriel Jesus but the German’s early burst into the box to have the game’s first shot on target indicated the positive approach Arteta wanted.
Watching Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – an Arsenal fan – then saw Bukayo Saka creep into the box and test Jose Sa with a brave header. The Wolves goalie then got down to make his third save in the opening 15 minutes to keep out Declan Rice.
Arsenal No1 David Raya was called into action himself for the first time after 23 minutes when Tawanda Chirewa got close enough to loop a deflected shot into his arms.
The home side would have been content to reach the quarter-mark largely unscathed, O’Neil’s tactical organisation preventing Arsenal from being incisive.
They Londoners came a little closer after 25 minutes when Ben White overlapped and pulled a ball into Leandro Trossard’s path that the Belgian miskicked six yards from goal.
With the entire Wolves side lined up in their own third like an Old Gold wall, patience looked the key for Arsenal.
The Belgian has now scored 14 goals from his 41 appearances for the Gunners in 2023-24
Mikel Arteta (right) and Gary O’Neil (left) embraced before their side’s faced off at Molineux
There was no frustration from Arteta as the clock ticked up to the half-hour mark, the Spaniard clapping his encouragement from the touchline rather than passing on any stress to his players.
If there were any alarm bells for The Gunners, it came in the form of left-back Jakub Kiwior making his first start since March.
He allowed Joao Gomes to rob him of the ball just outside the Arsenal penalty area and was grateful Raya saved from the Wolves midfielder at point-blank range, the ball diverting onto the woodwork and then safety.
Spikiness levels increased when Max Kilman’s clattering challenge into Havertz’s shin left the German in clear distress and the defender just the right line of yellow and red. Delcan Rice was booked for stopping the subsequent Wolves counter.
An uncharacteristic, thrashed clearance from William Saliba directly to Hugo Bueno indicated O’Neil’s tactical plan was working; part low-block, part-high press to throw Arsenal off their rhythm.
There was massive relief among the thousands of travelling fans when The Gunners broke the deadlock in front of them at the end of the first half.
It was the type of scrappy goal on which titles can sometimes be won or lost.
Jesus was on the ground when scooped the ball back to Trossard just inside the left corner of the penalty area. The winger’s connection with the outside of his boot was unconvincing but flew in at the perfect sliced angle to beat Sa.
Arsenal were keen to kill off the contest at the start of the second half. Sa saved from Havertz and Arteta set the tone by chasing after the ball after it had gone out so his side could take a quick throw.
Wolves, who sent on Mario Lemina for Hwang after 51 minutes, got men behind the ball and continued to defend stoically, hoping to find the right moment to counter.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard wrapped up three points with a strike late in the second-half
The Norwegian squeezed the ball in from a tight angle to ensure the victory for the Gunners
In a bitty contest where the losing side had little ambition to chase the equaliser, thrills and spills were in short supply.
Wolves finally showed some intent by sending on Rayan Ait-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia with 15 minutes left. It also helped Arsenal as for the first time the visitors had space available in the opposition half.
The game ended painfully for makeshift striker Lemina who was winded in an aerial challenge with Raya.
And it was doubly painful for the whole Wolves team when Odegaard slipped in a second Arsenal goal at Sa’s near post on the counter in added time.
