Premier League

WOLVES 0
ARSENAL 1 (Gabriel 25, Martinelli sent off 69)

ARSENAL survived yet another red card to win at Wolves this evening (Thursday) and boost their chances of finishing in the Premier League top-four.

A scrappy goal was all that separated the two sides, with defender Gabriel nudging the ball over the line from close range on 25 minutes to score what proved to be the winner.

The Wolves players were hoping that referee Michael Oliver would come to their rescue and rule out Gabriel’s effort after Alexandre Lacazette tangled with goalkeeper Jose Sa in the build-up, but the goal was correctly allowed to stand.

Arsenal were made to work hard for their first win of 2022 – especially after Gabriel Martinelli was given an unusual red card with over 20 minutes left on the clock. The Gunners forward was booked twice in one passage of play: once for stopping a throw-in, and then for a foul on Chiquinho.

It was the north Londoners fourth red card of the year – and their fifth of the season. Mikel Arteta admitted afterwards that he is “out of ideas” when it comes to tackling Arsenal’s ever-growing disciplinary issues.

The Gunners’ boss said: “To win football matches like that with 10-men is extremely difficult and we have to stop it. We’ve been talking about it. I have run out of ideas about how to stop it.

“We need to play with 11 players in our remaining games and that is key. To win games with 10-men in the Premier League is very unlikely.”

Pulling the positives from the 1-0 win at Molineux, Arteta added: “The character that we showed, and how we dug in – I’m really proud of the boys. There was togetherness and unity.”

Immediately after Martinelli’s dismissal Wolves thought that they had grabbed the equaliser when Granit Xhaka put the ball through his own net, but the goal was chalked off because Raul Jimenez had interfered with play from an offside position.

Lacazette had the chance to settle the Arsenal nerves when he raced clean through on goal, but the French forward wastefully fired wide – perhaps explaining why Gabriel, with three goals this season, has now equalled Lacazette’s tally.

The Gunners first win in six games takes them up to fifth, a point behind fourth placed West Ham but crucially with two games in hand.

Wolves: Sa, Marcal (Ait-Nouri, 63), Coady (Silva, 81), Kilman, Saiss, Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Podence, Trincao (Chiquinho, 62), Jimenez
Substitutes not used: Ruddy, Hoever, Jonny, Chiquinho, Toti, Hwang, Cundle

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Soares, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Xhaka, Martinelli (sent off, 69), Saka (Holding, 71), Odegaard (Smith Rowe, 68), Lacazette (Nketiah, 81)
Substitutes not used: Okonkwo, Pepe, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Awe