Gabriel scored the only goal and Gabriel Martinelli was given an unusual red card as Arsenal beat Wolves for their first win of 2022.
Defender Gabriel bundled home Alexandre Lacazette’s flick-on to score the only first-half goal Wolves have conceded in the Premier League since October.
Gunners forward Martinelli was sent off in the second half for two bookings shown at the same time for infringements seconds apart – stopping a throw-in and a foul on Chiquinho.
The better chances came after that, with Lacazette shooting wide, but the visitors were holding on at the end.
Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale denied Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker and Chiquinho had a shot blocked on the line.
Arsenal’s first win in six games took them up to fifth and denied eighth-placed Wolves the chance of a fourth league win in a row.
More red cards than goals – but Arsenal will be happy
Martinelli’s red card was Arsenal’s fourth of 2022 – with Gabriel’s goal only their second of the year. But this win stops the rot of five games without a victory and boosts their Champions League ambitions.
The major talking point was the red card though.
Martinelli conceded a throw-in and then shoved Daniel Podence as the Wolves player was trying to take it.
Referee Michael Oliver let play go on and Martinelli chased down Wolves substitute Chiquinho and fouled him.
Oliver then showed him a yellow for the first foul, followed immediately by another yellow for the second, and he was sent off.
A game involving Bruno Lage’s Wolves was never going to involve many goals – they have the third worst attack and the second best defence in the Premier League this season.
They will have been disappointed at the manner in which they conceded as Arsenal scored from a corner routine, although the hosts thought Lacazette fouled keeper Jose Sa.
Sa only had one save to make in the game and while his team pressed late on, they did not create enough genuine chances to score.
Ruben Neves shot wide from a free-kick and Raul Jimenez’s acrobatic volley flew over the bar but they did not test Ramsdale enough.
Player of the match
TierneyKieran Tierney
Wolverhampton Wanderers
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Squad number8Player nameRúben NevesAverage rating
5.65
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Squad number16Player nameCoadyAverage rating
5.63
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Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence
Average rating5.57
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Squad number20Player nameChiquinho
Average rating5.55
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Squad number23Player nameKilman
Average rating5.49
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Squad number9Player nameJiménez
Average rating5.45
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Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo
Average rating5.41
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Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá
Average rating5.34
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Squad number27Player nameSaïss
Average rating5.30
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Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri
Average rating5.20
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Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Average rating5.19
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Squad number11Player nameTrincão
Average rating5.09
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Squad number5Player nameMarçal
Average rating5.01
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Squad number17Player nameFábio Silva
Average rating4.64
Arsenal
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Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating
7.59
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Squad number32Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating
7.50
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Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.19
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Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
6.86
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Squad number10Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
6.73
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Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
6.71
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Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
6.67
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Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating
6.55
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Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
6.44
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Squad number9Player nameLacazetteAverage rating
6.27
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Squad number17Player nameCédric SoaresAverage rating
6.25
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Squad number35Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
6.08
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Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating
5.72
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Squad number30Player nameNketiahAverage rating
5.49
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Malheiro de Sá
- 23Kilman
- 16CoadySubstituted forFábio Silvaat 81′minutes
- 27SaïssBooked at 36mins
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 8NevesBooked at 60mins
- 32Dendoncker
- 5MarçalSubstituted forAït-Nouriat 63′minutes
- 11Machado TrincãoSubstituted forTomás Oliveiraat 62′minutes
- 9Jiménez
- 10Podence
Substitutes
- 2Hoever
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 17Fábio Silva
- 19Castro Otto
- 20Tomás Oliveira
- 21Ruddy
- 24Gomes
- 26Hwang Hee-Chan
- 39Cundle
Arsenal
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 32Ramsdale
- 17Cédric Soares
- 4White
- 6GabrielBooked at 61mins
- 3Tierney
- 5ParteyBooked at 33mins
- 34XhakaBooked at 45mins
- 7SakaSubstituted forHoldingat 71′minutes
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forSmith Roweat 68′minutes
- 35MartinelliBooked at 69mins
- 9LacazetteSubstituted forNketiahat 81′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Smith Rowe
- 16Holding
- 19Pépé
- 20Tavares
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 25Elneny
- 30Nketiah
- 33Okonkwo
- 75Awe
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 31,523
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Arsenal 1.
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Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0, Arsenal 1.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
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Foul by Leander Dendoncker (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt missed. Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Chiquinho with a cross.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
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Foul by Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
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Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Attempt missed. Leander Dendoncker (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Podence with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Granit Xhaka.
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Attempt blocked. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Podence.
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Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Aaron Ramsdale.
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Attempt saved. Leander Dendoncker (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel Podence with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Chiquinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Raúl Jiménez.
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Attempt missed. Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Alexandre Lacazette.
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Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fábio Silva replaces Conor Coady.
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