Wolves 0 Arsenal 2 - Report

The hosts entered half-time drawing 0-0 after a superb tactical display, in which they kept Arsenal quiet and launched exciting attacks on the counter.

But just 10 minutes into the second half all of that good work was undone when Martin Odegaard fired home from close range to give Arsenal the lead.

The attacking midfielder doubled his tally and put Arsenal 2-0 up 20 minutes later, as Wolves probed for a goal but were unable to find one.

The result leaves Wolves bottom of the Premier League, after Nottingham Forest’s win earlier in the day, as the clubs now enter a break for the World Cup.

Analysis

Interim head coach Steve Davis made two changes from the last Premier League side and switched to a 5-3-2 formation.

Adama Traore and Toti Gomes came in, while Daniel Podence dropped to the bench and Hwang Hee-chan was not included in the squad, despite being called up by South Korea for the World Cup.

For Gomes, it was his first appearance since mid-October after he returned from an adductor issue in the week.

The 23-year-old started left of the three centre-backs, with left-footed Max Kilman moving to the centre and Nathan Collins starting on the right.

Jonny Castro Otto was missing with a hamstring strain, but Wolves did have Matheus Nunes back from a shoulder injury, and he made the bench.

Arsenal returned to a full strength starting XI after their mid-week Carabao Cup loss to Brighton, and started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Before kick-off, new head coach Julen Lopetegui took a lap around the Molineux pitch and received a warm welcome from the home supporters, as the atmosphere ramped up.

A minute’s silence and a playing of the Last Post also took place ahead of the game and was respected by all inside the stadium.

Once the game got underway, Gabriel Jesus had the ball in the back of the net but was at least two yards offside, before Wolves broke forward at pace. Boubacar Traore’s cross was aimed at Goncalo Guedes, but he was also adjudged to be offside. Watching the replay, he actually looked onside and seemed to be fouled by William Saliba in the box, but VAR did not intervene.

Wolves had started the game fairly brightly and were buoyed on by the loud home support under the floodlights. A handful of promising set pieces came to nothing, as they pushed for the opening goal.

Despite that, Gabriel came close from a corner when he headed wide. Shortly after, Arsenal were forced into a change after 15 minutes when Granit Xhaka came off injured. He was replaced by Fabio Vieira.

Wolves created a good chance when they once again broke forward at pace. Nelson Semedo slipped a ball through for Guedes, but his shot flew just over the bar.

Arsenal still looked threatening going forward and a glancing header from Jesus came close to opening the scoring.

Wolves were happy to sit in their defensive shape and absorb Arsenal pressure, and they were doing a good job of it. When they had a chance to steal the ball and spring an attack, they did, in what was a competitive opening 30 minutes.

Jesus hit the bar for Arsenal as they came closest, before Wolves put another good attack together through Adama down the left, which the visitors defended.

Semedo has struggled this season at the back post, costing Wolves several points this season, and he was once again caught out with an Arsenal cross from the left, but fortunate that Jesus shot wide.

The biggest chance of the game fell to Guedes when he intercepted a poor Gabriel back pass. As he raced through on goal, his shot was deflected wide and the resulting corner came to nothing.

Wolves got the opening 45 spot on tactically, as they entered the break drawing 0-0.

The first chance of the second half fell to the hosts when Adama went on a trademark run. He did well to find Guedes on the left, who looked to cross back to his forward partner, but goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale beat Adama to it.

Then, 10 minutes into the half, Arsenal took the lead. Vieira was found inside the box, to the left of the goal, in plenty of space and his low cross was finished by Odegaard at close range.

The visiting supporters were buoyed by the opening goal but Wolves battled on, and a low Guedes free-kick tested Ramsdale and came close to equalising. Moments later, a scramble in the box almost saw Arsenal extend their lead, but Wolves dealt with it.

After 67 minutes, Podence was introduced as Wolves added another attacker, while Dexter Lembikisa was handed his Premier League debut, replacing Semedo. The 19-year-old only made his senior Wolves debut against Leeds in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Arsenal were controlling proceedings and after 75 minutes they added a second. Wolves switched off in defence as Lembikisa was beaten by Gabriel Martinelli and Adama failed to track back to stop Oleksandr Zinchenko. The cross came in and Sa made a good initial save from a shot, before the rebound was smashed home by Odegaard.

However, Wolves kept probing and often found Adama in space on the right flank. On one occasion, his cross set Podence up for a superb acrobatic bicycle kick, which was inches wide of the post.

Minutes later, the winger then had a shot tipped over the bar by Ramsdale.

In reality, Wolves never looked capable of finding the back of the net and a full-time result of 2-0 has them rooted to the foot of the table during the World Cup break.

Although that break has a big effect on proceedings, it is also true to say that since 2010 only two Premier League clubs who were bottom on Christmas Day have gone on to survive relegation.

Wolves now have time to regroup before a huge second half to the season.

Key Moments

55 GOAL – Odegaard fires Arsenal ahead

75 GOAL – Odegaard scores his and Arsenal’s second of the game

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Semedo (Lembikisa, 67), Collins, Kilman, Gomes (Nunes, 79), Bueno, Neves, Traore, Moutinho (Podence, 67), Adama, Guedes.

Subs not used: Sarkic, Ait-Nouri, Mosquera, Ronan, Hodge, Campbell.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Cedric, 90), Partey, Xhaka (Vieira, 15, Elneny, 90), Odegaard, Saka (Nelson, 90), Martinelli, Jesus.

Subs not used: Turner, Tierney, Holding, Marquinhos, Nketiah.