Arsenal thrash Wolves to finish season off in style

2 years ago 31
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Granit XhakaGranit Xhaka scored twice for Arsenal for the first time - in his 297th appearance for the club

Arsenal recorded a thumping win over Wolves to end a fine Premier League season with a flourish at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta's side, who were already assured of second place, ended the campaign on 84 points - the Gunners' highest points tally since the 'Invincibles' team took the title with 90 in 2003-04.

Their unexpected and exciting title challenge may have collapsed in recent weeks, but the hosts looked back to their best and were helped by passive opponents.

Granit Xhaka, who has been heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga, set them on their way when he nodded in Gabriel Jesus' early cross from the right.

The Switzerland midfielder, who posted a 'Thanks You Gunners' message on Instagramexternal-link prior to kick-off, stroked in a second from close range to bring up Arsenal's 100th goal of the campaign in all competitions after Wolves defender Max Kilman inadvertently deflected the ball into his path.

With Wolves struggling to contain their fluent opponents, Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard combined down the right to present the ball to Bukayo Saka, who curled in a superb third.

Arsenal showed few signs of letting up after the break, with Jesus heading in their fourth at the back post from Trossard's pinpoint cross.

It proved a disappointing day for Wolves, who finish in 13th.

With boss Julen Lopetegui's future at the club in doubt, the former Spain and Real Madrid boss spent most of his afternoon looking on grimly from the stands as he served a one-game touchline ban.

They showed little of the organisation and discipline that Lopetegui had instilled in them to guide them to safety after being appointed when they were bottom of the table in November.

And their afternoon got even worse when goalkeeper Jose Sa fumbled Jakub Kiwior's instinctive effort into his own net in the closing stages to gift Arsenal a fifth goal.

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Arsenal

  1. Squad number1Player nameRamsdale

  2. Squad number5Player namePartey

  3. Squad number4Player nameWhite

  4. Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães

  5. Squad number15Player nameKiwior

  6. Squad number8Player nameØdegaard

  7. Squad number20Player nameJorginho

  8. Squad number34Player nameXhaka

  9. Squad number7Player nameSaka

  10. Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus

  11. Squad number19Player nameTrossard

  1. Squad number3Player nameTierney

  2. Squad number10Player nameSmith Rowe

  3. Squad number14Player nameNketiah

  4. Squad number21Player nameFábio Vieira

  5. Squad number24Player nameNelson

Wolverhampton Wanderers

  1. Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá

  2. Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo

  3. Squad number4Player nameCollins

  4. Squad number23Player nameKilman

  5. Squad number64Player nameBueno

  6. Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes

  7. Squad number5Player nameLemina

  8. Squad number35Player nameJoão Gomes

  9. Squad number37Player nameTraoré

  10. Squad number9Player nameJiménez

  11. Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chan

  1. Squad number3Player nameAït-Nouri

  2. Squad number6Player nameTraoré

  3. Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves

  4. Squad number24Player nameToti

  5. Squad number59Player nameHodge

Line-ups

Arsenal

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Ramsdale
  • 5Partey
  • 4White
  • 6Gabriel
  • 15KiwiorSubstituted forTierneyat 80'minutes
  • 8ØdegaardSubstituted forSmith Roweat 75'minutes
  • 20Jorginho
  • 34XhakaSubstituted forFábio Vieiraat 75'minutes
  • 7SakaSubstituted forNelsonat 60'minutes
  • 9Gabriel Jesus
  • 19TrossardSubstituted forNketiahat 80'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Tierney
  • 10Smith Rowe
  • 14Nketiah
  • 16Holding
  • 21Fábio Vieira
  • 24Nelson
  • 30Turner
  • 41Bandeira
  • 97Walters

Wolves

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1
  • 22Nélson Semedo
  • 4Collins
  • 23KilmanSubstituted forGomesat 68'minutes
  • 64BuenoSubstituted forAït-Nouriat 45'minutes
  • 27NunesSubstituted forNevesat 45'minutes
  • 5Lemina
  • 35João GomesSubstituted forHodgeat 85'minutes
  • 37Traoré
  • 9Jiménez
  • 11Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forTraoréat 67'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Aït-Nouri
  • 6Traoré
  • 8Neves
  • 12Matheus Cunha
  • 15Dawson
  • 21Sarabia
  • 24Gomes
  • 25Bentley
  • 59Hodge

Referee:Andre Marriner

Attendance:60,095

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Arsenal 5, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.

  2. Second Half ends, Arsenal 5, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.

  3. Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Nathan Collins.

  4. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  5. Delay in match because of an injury Jorginho (Arsenal).

  6. Foul by Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal).

  7. Rayan Aït-Nouri (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Attempt missed. Joseph Hodge (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Adama Traoré with a cross.

  9. Attempt missed. Jorginho (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Reiss Nelson.

  10. Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Joseph Hodge replaces João Gomes.

  11. Attempt missed. Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) right footed shot from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Reiss Nelson.

  12. Thomas Partey (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Foul by Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

  14. Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Mario Lemina.

  15. Substitution, Arsenal. Kieran Tierney replaces Jakub Kiwior.

  16. Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Leandro Trossard.

  17. Goal! Arsenal 5, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0. Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Emile Smith Rowe following a corner.

  18. Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Toti.

  19. Attempt missed. Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Rúben Neves with a cross following a corner.

  20. Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Jorginho.

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