Arsenal 1 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures

Report

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo made 11 changes for Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat at Villa. Nuno opted to field a young side that night and it was no surprise to see him ring the changes for this clash at the Emirates.

The Wolves boss reverted to the same side that started the 1-1 draw at Newcastle United last Sunday. Though the personnel did not change from that Premier League clash, the formation was altered.

Wolves began with a 3-5-2 last Sunday but Nuno shifted to an uber attacking 3-4-3 shape.

That was the formation that helped Wolves end the game on a high at St James' Park and the side would pick up from where they left off in the North East.

Leander Dendoncker moved to a central defensive role for the second half at Newcastle, and with injuries to Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett denting Nuno's choices, he remained on the right of the back three alongside Conor Coady and Romain Saiss.

Further up the field Jonny and Matt Doherty started on the wings, with Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves deployed in the middle of the park. Adama Traore started on the right of a front three with Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota.

It looked as though Wolves' attacking intent would pay dividends as they dominated the opening 15 minutes.Wolves attacked from the off with Jota firing over while Doherty saw his effort blocked. Jimenez's shot was also blocked by a red and white shirt in what was a blistering opening spell.

Though that tactical approach left Wolves open to the counter-attack, Wolves pushed forward determined to end a run that has seen them score just two goals in the first half this season.

After taking a deeper role at Newcastle Ruben Neves also pushed further up the field with a delightful dipping strike from distance just dropping over the bar.

Arsenal woke up just after the 15th minute and starting to ask questions of a Wolves defence that looked vulnerable without Boly, especially against the quality of the home attack.

The bounce from Matteo Guendouzi's hopeful free-kick left Dendoncker chasing shadows.That lapse in concentration saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nip in but his effort was easily saved by Rui Patricio.

The hosts sensed the fear and spotted the weak link, that chance sparked a shift in momentum after Wolves' early onslaught with Lucas Torreira firing just wide.

The pre-match build-up was all about Granit Xhaka, but as he was left out of the squad, and it was his replacement, captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who stole the headlines in the first half. Aubameyang took the armband and seized the initiative in the 21st minute.

Guendouzi had found space on the right to out-fox Jonny and fizz the ball into the feet of Lacazette in the box. He pirouetted and slid the ball over to Aubameyang, the intelligence and speed of the pass left Dendoncker off balance and the Arsenal man rifled home his 50th goal for the club.

The hosts kept their foot on the gas with Doherty and Dendoncker failing to clear in the box and leaving Wolves in trouble.But Aubameyang fired over and Wolves re-grouped.

They might have looked shaky at the back but the 3-4-3 formation gave them outlets up the other end. Nuno's men did not give up the game plan with Traore continuing to light up the pitch. But the quality of Arsenal's attack shone through as they showed Wolves how to counter, though they could not get that all-important second with Lacazette's effort well held by Patricio.

With Arsenal failing to put the game to bed in the first half Wolves found a second wind at the end of the first half.

They should have levelled, but Leno had other ideas as he pulled off a fine instinctive stop to thwart Doherty's first time effort after a delightful centre from Jota.

Wolves ended the half on top with Neves firing over again as the chances flowed.

Referee Michael Oliver waved away a penalty claim as Moutinho's effort slammed into Sokratis.

But there was still time for one last chance as Jota's angled effort flew wide but that gave Nuno's men hope going into the second 45.

They looked stronger defensively as the rain lashed down in the capital but the chances faded away at both ends of the pitch.

Neves seemed determined to find the net as his strike was parried away by Leno, but Jimenez could only nod the subsequent set-piece back to the Arsenal keeper.

Doherty needed treatment on the pitch after a knock to his knee and would leave the field as the half wore on.

He made way for Ruben Vinagre who slotted in on the left with Jonny moving over to the right, but it would be that enforced substitution.

Unlike the electric start to the first half, this was an example of the art of patient play by Wolves.

They pressured Arsenal but without leaving the glaring, gaping gaps of the first 45 and they would get their reward as the clock ticked towards full-time.

The hosts were undone in the simplest of fashions in the 77th minute with Wolves needing just three touches to find that equaliser.

Jonny's throw-in from the right flank flew to the feet of Moutinho in the box.

The midfield maestro's awareness was impeccable as he hooked the ball first-time into the path of Jimenez and the Mexican galloped onto the ball, nodding it down and into the goal.

Arsenal threw everything but the kitchen sink at Wolves as the game drew to a close, but Nuno's men held on.

Jota could have and should have won the game for the visitors in the dying stages.

The forward produced one of the moments of the game as he sprinted into the box but he could not cap the brilliance of his run with the finish as Leno smothered the ball.

That would be his last touch as he made way for Neto, and despite both sides going for the jugular late on, neither side could find a winner as the game finished all square.

Key Moments

13 - Narrowly over! Neves sets his sights from an area he has scored so many screamers - 25 yards out. He looks for the top corner, but it ends up a little bit too high. Wolves have begun the game brightly.

21 - Goal! Despite Wolves' sharp start, it is Arsenal who take the lead. Lackadaisical defending is punished as Lacazette turns and rolls the ball to Aubameyang, who slots it into the bottom corner from close range.

42 - Chance! Jota breaks down the left-hand side and does superbly to cut the ball back to Doherty, but his powerful strike from the edge of the box is straight at Leno, who claws it away. A yard either side and it goes in.

71 - Doherty's day is over. Traore looks for him on the overlap but puts too much on it, and it goes out for a goal-kick. Doherty, who picked up a knock earlier, then limps off - Vinagre on.

76 - GOOOOOOALLLL!!! Wolves are level - and deservedly so! Jimenez has not been in the game much, but he gets his goal. Otto's throw-in falls to Moutinho, who crosses it over to the Mexican, and he heads home for a share of the spoils.

89 - Almost a winner for Wolves! Jota drives at the Arsenal defence and finds his way into the box with some superb dribbling, but he cannot get the shot away and Leno races off his line to gather.

Teams

Arsenal (4-3-1-2): Leno, Chambers, David Luiz, Sokratis, Tierney (Kolasinac, 87); Guendouzi, Torreira (Saka, 73), Ceballos; Ozil; Aubameyang, Lacazette (Martinelli, 59)Subs not used: Martinez (gk), Bellerin, Willock, PepeGoal: Aubameyang (21)

Wolves (3-4-3): Patricio; Dendoncker, Coady (c), Saiss; Doherty (Vinagre, 71), Moutinho, Neves, Otto; Traore, Jimenez, Jota (Neto, 90)Subs not used: Ruddy (gk), Kilman, Perry, Gibbs-White, CutroneGoal: Jimenez (76)

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)