Wolves scored all their goals in the first half to beat Arsenal 3-1 at home and condemn the Gunners to back-to-back defeats.
The Gunners, who were missing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and made seven changes to their line-up, were the better side in the opening 20 minutes but were then given a mauling.
Ruben Neves scored the opener with a sumptuous free-kick on the edge of the box for the hosts, who came into the match without a win in their last three games.
Ruben Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
Unai Emery’s side were undone by another set-piece, with a short corner leading to Matt Doherty’s header past Bernd Leno who was in no-man’s land.
It could have got even more worse for the visitors with Lucas Torreira lucky to void a red card for a two-footed challenge. But they found themselves further behind in stoppage time when Diogo Jota ran through to score and put Wolves in dreamland.
The Gunners switched to a back three in the second period and improved after taking off Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Torreira.
They pulled a goal back through Sokratis Papastathopoulos' header from Granit Xhaka’s corner but it was too little too late as Wolves held on to move up to seventh while Arsenal stay fifth, a point behind Chelsea in fourth and four points off Tottenham Hotspur in third.
TALKING POINT
How much criticism should Emery get for his team selection?
The Spaniard made a whopping seven changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Crystal Palace. There was a new back four with Sokratis returning from suspension to partner Laurent Koscielny while Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nacho Monreal returned at full-back.
Matt Doherty of Wolverhampton Wanderers scores his team's second goal past Bernd Leno of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka were in central midfield and were outplayed and outfought with Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the flanks. Mohamed Elneny, Matteo Guendouzi, Saed Kolasinac and Shkodran Mustafi were dropped to the bench. The Gunners were without top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but the reshuffling of the pack backfired. They only improved after switching to a back three.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Diogo Jota(Wolves): The forward works tirelessly and is unselfish in his linkup play with Raul Jimenez. And he capped off his performance with a well taken finish.
Diogo Jota of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 3-0 during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS:
22’ - SO CLOSE! Doherty is picked out by Dendoncker down the right who cuts inside before laying it off to Moutinho whose first-time curling effort goes agonisingly wide.
28’ - GOAL FOR WOLVES! It's a Neves free-kick which goes over the wall and into the bottom corner, Leno was stranded. The free-kick came from Jota being tripped on the edge of the box by Monreal.
37’ - GOAL FOR WOLVES!! Moutinho plays a corner short to Jonny who whips in a cross for Doherty who heads the ball beyond Leno who was off his line.
45’ - OUCH! Torreira is booked for a two footed challenge on Neves, some refs may have given a red for that.
45’+1 - GOAAAALL FOR WOLVES!!!!!!! Jota races clear before firing under Leno to make it 3-0, where was the defending?!
56’ - PENALTY SHOUT! Bennett does not see Lacazette come from behind him, their legs tangle but the referee does not give a foul. Bennett is a lucky boy.
80’ - GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Sokratis heads in an Xhaka’s corner to reduce the deficit. Is the comeback on?!
PLAYER RATINGS:
WOLVES: Patricio 5, Doherty 7, Bennett 6, Coady 6, Boly 5, Jonny 7, Neves 7, Moutinho 6, Dendoncker 6, Jota 8, Jimenez 7. Subs: Cavaleiro n/a, Traore n/a, Gibbs-White.n/a.
ARSENAL: Leno 4, Maitland-Niles 5, Sokratis 7, Koscielny 5, Monreal 4, Torreira 4, Xhaka 6, Iwobi 5, Ozil 3, Mkhitaryan 4, Lacazette 5. Subs: Kolasinac 5, Guendouzi 5, Nketiah n/a.
KEY STATS
Only Charlie Mulgrew (10) and Harry Wilson (9) have scored more goals from outside the box since the start of last season in the top four English tiers than Ruben Neves (8).
Arsenal lose against Wolves in the top flight for the first time since September 1979.
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