- Arsenal clinches historic away win, maintaining top league spot
- Trossard and Ödegaard secure victory, fortifying Arsenal’s resilience
- Chelsea clash crucial for Arsenal’s title ambitions, says Arteta
To reclaim the Premier League’s top spot, Arsenal achieved a historic milestone by maintaining a spotless record on their league travels for the sixth time in succession. Critics who are accusing the club of a typical late-season collapse can point to this surprisingly resilient victory.
A “one-nil” was always a memorable phrase for Arsenal, but nobody in red and white was dissatisfied when, following Leandro Trossard’s fortunate goal in the 45th minute that gave Arsenal the lead, Martin Ödegaard sealed the deal with a second goal in the second half, a deft left-foot shot inside the near post that was executed after an intricate passing move.
Arsenal, who have endured a week of adversity including a loss at Aston Villa and an elimination in the Champions League quarterfinals by Bayern Munich, may have surpassed Manchester City by four points heading into Thursday’s FA Cup final away match at Brighton.
The Tuesday visit of Chelsea to the Emirates assumes a prominent role, even if Liverpool manages to equalize the points with a victory over Fulham on Sunday. “At this time, we must defeat the in-form Chelsea,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “I was observing the [FA Cup semi-final] match between City and [my opponent], and they are an incredible team. “We must earn it in front of our audience and give it our all.”
Arsenal, who won only three of their final nine games at the end of the previous campaign and six of their last twelve in 2021-22, appear more resilient this time around, with five matches remaining and the prize still within reach. Arteta stated, “The run we’ve been on since January is phenomenal, and this team is first in the league, so let’s see what happens.”
Trossard’s ninth Premier League goal of the season signifies the squad’s enhanced depth, which is becoming increasingly evident during a pivotal phase of a potentially compelling title race, with Bukayo Saka being the only player with more for Arsenal. The winger from Belgium acknowledged that his shot into the upper corner with his big toe was fortuitous.
Wolves, outside the elite, had the best record against the traditional big six, averaging 1.7 points per game before this match. Despite their injury absences, Arsenal’s troubled week gave the home supporters reason to suspect the visitors might be vulnerable. “The Champions League is amused by your laughter,” they chanted.
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Initially reticent, the Wolves gradually gained momentum and recognized an opportunity to attack Arsenal via Jakub Kiwior’s flank. João Gomes entered the game from the right flank and, with few alternatives at his disposal, composed himself by rolling his foot over the ball before launching a shot that David Raya deftly saved into his near post.
Arteta stated, “It was an absolutely crucial save, as we conceded nothing thereafter.”
Arsenal attained a moment of good fortune in the final minute of the first half, which had been absent recently. As they vied for Kai Havertz’s cross, Gabriel Jesus gave Matt Doherty the slightest of knocks, and as the striker rose from the ground, the ball dropped for Trossard to slice into the far top corner for his fourteenth goal of the season across all competitions.
It was instructive for Wolves that Mario Lemina was their most advanced player when Hwang Hee-chan was substituted early in the second half following his first start since returning from a hamstring injury. “We discovered Mario can play as a No. 9,” quipped Wolves manager Gary O’Neil. “He almost certainly spent some time there in the park when he was a child.”
The holding midfielder successfully struck Raya on the wrist with a powerful left-foot shot after cutting in from the right perimeter of the penalty area. Two of their regulars, Rayan at-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia, were introduced by Wolves for the final fifteen minutes of the game’s duration. However, Arsenal was able to extend their lead in the dying moments thanks to Degaard’s 50th goal in service of the club.
“Our objective was to secure the second one sooner,” stated the captain of Arsenal. “In my opinion, it was not our strongest performance. “Today, three points were crucial, and we obtained them.”
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