Arsenal 2 - superztars

The winless Wolves discovered a new way to suffer defeat, conceding two own goals in a 2-1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

MORE — Arteta and Saka react to the victory

The Premier League leaders, Arsenal, struggled for much of the match and appeared to be dropping points when Tolu Arokodare equalized in stoppage time.

However, Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera diverted a Bukayo Saka cross into his own net, following a similar misstep by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on an earlier corner from Saka. This result allowed Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points ahead of Manchester City’s match on Sunday.

WATCH — Full match replay: Arsenal vs Wolves

Wolves remain at the bottom of the table with just two points from 16 matches, now 13 points away from safety.

Wolves falter as Arsenal capitalize on mistakes

In discussions following this match, pundits may say things like “title-winning teams need a bit of luck,” but that glosses over a critical point: Arsenal, atop the table, needed 20th-place Wolves to make crucial errors to secure these three points at home.

This situation is far from ideal.

Full credit to Wolves under Rob Edwards for their performance; they deserved at least a point and scored the game’s only legitimate goal. However, Arsenal only put two of their 16 shots on target and converted 70% possession into just 1.02 expected goals (xG). The first own goal resulted from a corner awarded after Saka’s questionable offside position behind the Wolves defense. This match served as a wake-up call for Arsenal, rather than a mere stroke of fate.

As for Wolves, this loss is particularly painful for Edwards and his team. They demonstrated determination and resilience, equalizing in stoppage time, yet remain stuck on two points and trail the safety zone by 13 points with 22 matches remaining.

Rob Edwards shares his thoughts

On the match: “It’s tough to face you right now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We’ve lost again. I could offer numerous excuses given the opponent was Arsenal, but ultimately, we lost this match ourselves. The two goals we conceded were quite bizarre, yet we fought hard to get back into it and showed plenty of grit and courage, everything we’ve been asking for. It stings, it really does.”

On the effort: “We showed positive signs throughout the match. We couldn’t afford to switch off because Arsenal punishes such mistakes. I’m proud of how resilient we were. Our supporters were incredible, standing by us despite the late heartbreak. I truly feel for them.”

Looking ahead

Next, Arsenal visits Everton at 3pm ET on Saturday, followed by a League Cup quarterfinal match against Crystal Palace on December 23.

Wolves will host Brentford at 10am ET on Saturday.

Final Score: Arsenal 2-1 Wolves

Own goals: Sam Johnstone (70′), Tolu Arokodare (90+1′), Yerson Mosquera (90+4′)

Live Updates — by Nick Mendola

Yerson Mosquera’s own goal — Arsenal 2-1 Wolves

Saka delivers a cross from the right, resulting in another own goal as Yerson Mosquera, marking Gabriel Jesus, inadvertently redirects it into his own net.

Tolu Arokodare’s goal — Arsenal 1-1 Wolves

WOW. Substitute Tolu Arokodare outmuscles Piero Hincapie and heads home to level the game in the first minute of stoppage time!

Gabriel Jesus makes a comeback

After a lengthy knee injury recovery, the Brazilian replaces Victor Gyokeres in the 81st minute.

Sam Johnstone’s own goal — Arsenal 1-0 Wolves

Bukayo Saka’s corner strikes the inside of the far post and then Johnstone before crossing the line. A devastating way for Wolves to fall behind.

Wolves substitutions

Jackson Tchatchoua and Tolu Arokodare enter for Matt Doherty, on a yellow card, and Jorgen Strand Larsen in the 69th minute.

Johnstone denies Rice again

After a fingertip save on a Rice free-kick, Johnstone impressively denies Rice’s 19-yard shot with a left-handed save.

Arteta makes three substitutions

Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard, and Mikel Merino replace Eze, Martinelli, and Zubimendi in the 58th minute.

Back underway

No substitutions yet.

Halftime — Arsenal 0-0 Wolves

Arsenal dominated possession with 74% and registered six shots but failed to convert any. They struggled with decision-making, as evidenced by Gabriel Martinelli’s attempt to head the ball back into play rather than shooting at the near post. Meanwhile, Wolves generated two promising opportunities but squandered both due to poor finishing.

Ben White injury

Ben White will no longer feature in this match due to a leg muscle injury, making way for Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 31st minute.

Hee-chan Hwang’s solo run

Wolves break with Hee-chan Hwang starting the ball in his own half, charging into the Arsenal side, pursued by several defenders.

Despite being forced wide, Hwang attempts a shot from the right side of the box that David Raya easily collects.

Johnstone makes a stop against Rice

As Saka delivers a low cross, Declan Rice gets to the end of it, but Johnstone reacts swiftly to avoid conceding.

Eberechi Eze’s questionable challenge

A high-trap attempt from Eberechi Eze catches Joao Gomes in the head, yet remains uncarded even amidst the clamor for a foul.

It was inadvertent, but Gomes did win the ball. A curious decision.

Arsenal in control

Arsenal is dominating possession and pressing forward, but struggles to penetrate Wolves’ defense through the first 13 minutes.

Arsenal’s Starting XI

Raya, White, Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Rice, Zubimendi, Eze, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres

Wolves’ Starting XI

Johnstone, Doherty, Mosquera, Agbadou, T. Gomes, Wolfe, Krejci, Andre, J. Gomes, Hwang, Strand Larsen

Match Preview — by Joe Prince-Wright

After a recent 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal team sought to bounce back from a disappointing defeat that tightened their lead at the top of the table. They did deliver a solid display midweek in the Champions League, winning 3-0 at Club Brugge, which has put them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stages.

Conversely, Wolves find themselves in dire straits, having lost all four matches under Rob Edwards, sitting winless and in last place. With an 8-match losing streak, including a damaging 4-1 defeat against Manchester United, a match against Arsenal is far from what they needed.

Arsenal Team Update

Arsenal continues to grapple with defensive injuries, with Cristhian Mosquera joining Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba on the injury list. Arteta rotated several key player in the previous match against Club Brugge, yielding positive results, and he may continue this strategy to manage their deep squad efficiently.

Wolves Team Update

Injuries have plagued Wolves, with Rodrigo Gomes, Marshall Munetsi, Daniel Bentley, and Leon Chiwome out. New challenges arise as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde now faces a long recovery period. Camping at five defenders appears increasingly untenable as they’ve faced mounting pressure, suggesting Edwards faces an uphill battle to prevent his team from slipping further behind.

Prediction for Arsenal vs Wolves

All indicators suggest a solid win for Arsenal, with them likely managing rotations effectively while sealing the deal comfortably. Arsenal 3-0 Wolves.

Viewing Details for Arsenal vs Wolves

Kick-off: 3pm ET Saturday (December 13)

Venue: Emirates Stadium — North London

TV Channel: USA

Streaming: Stream live on NBC.com