Our 3️⃣ points as Arsenal dig in at Wolves to reclaim PL top spot | OneFootball

Arsenal reclaimed the Premier League’s top spot with a hard-fought win against Wolves.

Here’s what we made of events at Molineux.

Gritty Gunners bounce back

Neutrals will not look back on this game fondly, especially when Saturday’s other two Premier League games produced a combined 11 goals.

On reflection, hopes of Arsenal completing a high-scoring hat-trick against an injury-ravaged Wolves felt somewhat ambitious given what played out.

But Mikel Arteta’s side did just enough to reclaim top spot for the weekend with Manchester City otherwise engaged and Liverpool on an inferior goal difference.

After a chastening six days in which they crashed out of the Champions League and saw their their title aspirations take a big knock, this was exactly what the doctor ordered.

It may have been more gritty than Gunners’ fans have become accustomed but if it keeps them sitting pretty at the summit in five games’ time, it will be a defining moment.

One miracle beyond O’Neil

Gary O’Neil’s body of work since taking the reins at Wolves speaks for itself – but some things are beyond even his Midas touch.

His side headed into this game with the newest champions-in-waiting boasting a casualty list that would make a doctor’s surgery blush.

Seven players were absent as Tawanda Chirewa made a first start after just three senior outings while 15-year-old Wesley Okoduwa was named as a substitute.

O’Neil has been one of the rare managerial success stories of the season and the Black and Gold’s ability to limit Arsenal to stoppage-time goals deserves credit.

But they were always likely to be on the wrong side of this result, despite those best efforts and the resolute backing of the Molineux faithful.

Keeping it clean

The title race is likely to go down to the wire but Arsenal have a slight edge over their two rivals from the North West in one key area.

Manchester City may remain the team to beat with a track record to match while Liverpool could still light a spark if required.

Arteta, however, has something equally valuable after racking up a 15th clean sheet in the Black Country from 33 top-flight outings.

That’s more than any other Premier League side this term and might prove pivotal should the battle for supremacy come down to fine margins.

Goals win you games but a solid defensive foundation could prove just as decisive when all is said and done on 19 May.