Arsenal survive bonkers finale as Wolves make leaders suffer for their win

Premier League

Arsenal (0) 2 Johnstone og 70, Mosquera og 90+4

Wolverhampton Ws (0) 1 Arokodare 90

For the second week running, Arsenal shipped a last minute goal which looked certain to see them squander vital points - and did it against the one team who should not have had a prayer against them.

Rock-bottom Wolves - without a win all season and only two measly draws to set alongside defeat after defeat should have been easy fodder. They had only scored once away from home too. But it did not quite pan out as easily as that.

With the clock straying into the red, the Gunners funnelled back nervously trying to protect a 1-0 lead and Wolves sensed their moment.

A ball in from their left from Mateus Mane was met by the head of fellow sub Tolu Arokodare and the Emirates was suddenly plunged into despair as the ball smacked the back of David Raya's net.

This time, however, good fortune refused to desert the Gunners and when Gabriel Jesus - not long off the bench in place of Viktor Gyokerers - went for a Saka cross, Yerson Mosquera got to it just ahead of him, only to plant the ball into this own net for the second OG of the night in Arsenal's favour. When your luck's not in at the bottom....

Arsenal didn't find their latest Low Block Challenge a great deal of fun and but for a couple of near misses from Gabi Martinelli at corners - header from an angle way over and far post volley clipped wide - it wasn't proving easy to prise open those clamped Wolves teeth. No shots on target in the first 45 minutes summed it up.

Rob Edwards' last-placed side, on the other hand, took heart from a scampering counter-attack from halfway by Hwang Hee-Chan which ended with him hitting a tired shot - as Jurrien Timber closed in after chasing back - that was easily saved by Raya.

Mikel Arteta demanded more intensity as his side set about finding a way into the North Bank net after the break and he made a triple substitution just before the hour to try and inject more urgency.

Declan Rice became the driving force, as is often the case, hitting a dipping free-kick that Sam Johnstone tipped over, before cutting in to curl a right foot shot towards the bottom corner that the keeper pushed away. The torment was ratcheting up.

Relief came in the form of yet another set piece as Bukayo Saka's inswinging corner was fingertipped onto the far post by Johnstone but cannoned off the keeper's back and into the net.

Gyokerers was among those struggling to make an impression, though the striker did turn a Leandro Trossard pass into a chance with a spin and shot across the face of goal as Arsenal sought the cushion of a second goal.

It did not come and the foundation was there for the crazy drama that would come at the end of this strange contest. Somehow the leaders prevailed after a massively subdued display that arguably did not deserve three points. But they will take it with immense gratitude.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Raya - White (Lewis-Skelly 31), Timber, Saliba, Hincapie - Eze (Odegaard 58), Zubimendi (Merino 58), Rice - Saka, Gyokeres (Jesus 82), Martinelli (Trossard 58)

Wolves: (3-5-2) Johnstone - Mosquera, Agbadou, Toti Gomes (Mane 86) - Doherty (Tchatchoua 69), Joao Gomes, Andre, Krejci (Lopez 80), Moller Wolfe - Strand Larsen (Arokodare 69), Hee-Chan (Arias 80)

Attendance: 60,242