Arsenal escaped a potential disaster at the Emirates Stadium yesterday, needing a sensational 94th-minute own goal to secure a 2-1 victory over struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers in a match that came alive in the final moments.
The Gunners struggled for large parts of the game to break down a dogged Wolves defence. They finally found a breakthrough in the 70th minute when Bukayo Saka’s curling corner struck the post and bounced off Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone into the net for a fortunate own goal.
The drama was far from over. Wolves, despite being rooted to the bottom of the table, snatched a shock equaliser in the 90th minute when substitute Tolu Arokodare flicked a header past David Raya.
However, the final twist went Arsenal’s way. Deep into stoppage time, another dangerous cross from the Man of the Match, Bukayo Saka, was inadvertently headed into his own net by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera, sending the Emirates crowd into raptures.
The Implication: The gritty, late victory sees Arsenal immediately respond to their recent loss and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points over Manchester City. While far from a convincing performance, the ability to win ugly and snatch victory in the dying seconds is a sign of true title contenders. For Wolves, it was a cruel, heartbreaking blow that leaves them firmly entrenched at the bottom.
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