Riccardo Calafiori’s goal earned Arsenal a 1-0 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday after a contest which ended with both sides down to 10 men, and the visitors keep their Premier League title hopes alive with a hard-fought victory.
The win keeps Arsenal second in the standings, six behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Arsenal move three points ahead of Nottingham Forest, while Wolves remain just above the relegation zone in 17th place on 16 points.
Arsenal had Myles Lewis-Skelly controversially sent off just before the break while Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes received his marching orders with 20 minutes remaining and Calafiori struck four minutes later.
Wolves had the first real chance with Nelson Semedo sending a perfect pass into the area which Pablo Sarabia met with a flying volley but the ball sailed over.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz then had two headed opportunities, both coming from Leandro Trossard crosses but the first went just wide while the second brought a decent save with his legs from keeper Jose Sa.
The major talking point of the opening half came two minutes before the break and the visitors were stunned when referee Michael Oliver whipped out the red card for Lewis-Skelly.
The Arsenal defender tripped Matt Doherty who was launching a counter-attack just outside his own area, and the punishment was for serious foul play, which appeared harsh, rather than for stopping a goal-scoring chance.
“It is that clear that I leave it to you guys,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports when asked about the red card.
“I am absolutely fuming but I leave it with you. Because it is that obvious. I don’t think my words are going to help.”
Arsenal players were still questioning the referee as they left the pitch at half time, while Arteta sent on Calafiori at the start of the second half, a decision which would later prove vital.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Arsenal were on the attack from the off in the second half, with Declan Rice’s powerful shot forcing a save from Sa, and Havertz heading over from a free kick, but Wolves began to create trouble.
Hwang Hee-chan shot from outside the area and Arsenal keeper David Raya got down to make a save and Matheus Cunha then had two great chances.
His first shot took a deflection which almost took it over Raya but the keeper parried the ball away and when the resulting corner fell to the unmarked Cunha at the back post, he put his effort wide.
Wolves’ hard work was undone when Gomes received his second booking, and when the home side failed to clear away a cross from Gabriel Martinelli, Calafiori struck a first-time shot beyond the despairing dive of Sa.
Rayan Ait-Nouri had one last chance to rescue a point for the home side, but Raya made a crucial save and Arsenal held on to take all three points.
“From the bench, it was clearly not a red card. I saw him at halftime and he was so disappointed for the team,” Calafiori told Sky Sports.
“But in the end we won, so nothing happened. The strategy was not to put ourselves in a defensive mode. We wanted to try and win the game and we did.”