Arsenal 2 Wolves 0 - Report

The visitors were struggling to play out from defence in their new-look back four as Kai Havertz headed home a first half goal.

But Wolves improved in the second half and pushed for an equaliser, before Bukayo Saka added a second against the run of play.

Wolves were unable to get back into the fixture with limited minutes on the clock and fell to defeat against the Gunners.

Analysis

Gary O’Neil made one change from the team that started the final pre-season friendly of the summer, as Wolves started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde started on the right, as Pablo Sarabia joined a very attacking bench line-up.

Matheus Cunha was fit enough to take a place among the substitutes following a hamstring issue.

Wolves had an early sight of goal when Jorgen Strand Larsen charged into the box, which resulted in a Matt Doherty shot that was blocked.

O’Neil’s side were looking after possession fairly well but were taking risks when playing out from defence and a poor Toti Gomes pass allowed Havertz to race towards goal, but Mario Lemina did well to track back.

The defender then lost the ball again as Saka picked it up, cut inside onto his left foot and took aim at the near post, but Jose Sa was equal to it.

Saka then had another effort after some nice play with Havertz, but it was straight at Sa.

After 25 minutes, Arsenal made their pressure pay with an opening goal. An excellent cross from Saka on the right saw Havertz get the run on Yerson Mosquera and head beyond Sa who had come to claim it.

Arsenal were screaming for a penalty when Saka went down under a Toti challenge, but referee Jarred Gillett correctly did not give the spot kick.

Wolves almost equalised against the run of play when a superb Hwang Hee-chan cross was met by Larsen with a strong header, but David Raya made a magnificent instinctive save.

Gabriel Martinelli was close to a second for Arsenal but Joao Gomes blocked his near post effort.

Wolves then entered half-time losing 1-0, having experienced issues playing out from the back.

The visitors started the second half in better form and were finding space out wide and closer to Arsenal’s box, before being boosted by the introduction of Cunha.

But the Gunners almost scored a second when Oleksandr Zinchenko cut the ball back for Thomas Partey, who shot wide.

Wolves came close when Rodrigo Gomes won the ball back and found Rayan Ait-Nouri, who saw his effort from distance crash just wide of the post.

A poor William Saliba pass when playing out from the back handed the ball to Cunha, but his low shot was saved by Raya and the chance was lost.

At the other end, Martin Odegaard saw his effort saved by Sa.

Wolves were on top and hoped to take advantage of their dominance, but instead fell 2-0 behind. Ait-Nouri gave Saka too much space and he cut inside onto his left foot to fire past Sa at his near post.

Wolves were calling for a penalty when Hwang seemed to get a nudge in the back by Jurrien Timber, but nothing was given. O’Neil was then booked for his complaints.

Sarabia had a strong volley saved by Raya following a Cunha cross in the dying embers of the game.

In the end, Wolves fell to defeat in the capital after failing to make use of their second half momentum.

Key Moments

GOAL 25 Havertz heads home for the Gunners

GOAL 74 Saka cuts inside to smash home a second

Teams

Wolves: Sa, Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri (Dawson, 84), Lemina, J.Gomes (Sarabia, 84), Bellegarde (Cunha, 57), Hwang, R.Gomes (Podence, 74), Larsen (Chiquinho, 84).

Subs not used: Bentley, Bueno, Doyle, Guedes.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Timber, 69), Partey, Rice (Jesus, 84), Odegaard, Saka (Trossard, 80), Martinelli, Havertz.

Subs not used: Ramsdale, Calafiori, Jorginho, Nelson, Nwaneri, Nketiah.