Arsenal have opened their 2024-25 Premier League campaign with a convincing victory over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium.
An opening first-half goal by Kai Havertz and a second-half strike by Bukayo Saka ensured the Gunners put the Molineux-based visitors to the sword.
The Mikel Arteta-led side went into the game as favorites but Wolves, under the tutelage of O’Neil, weren’t pushovers.
On a bright and sunny afternoon at the Emirates, Arsenal got the job done efficiently, but it was largely a strongly contested tie although the hosts recorded a more dominant performance.
After a commanding 25 minutes of play, Bukayo Saka set up German international and prolific attacking midfielder Kai Havertz, who scored with a brilliant header from the England star’s overhead pass to make it 1-0.
Wolves goalkeeper did little to stop the thumping header by Havertz with the Gunners taking a deserved lead after a dominant display.
Despite leading by the lone goal, the Gunners were still dominant throughout the remaining 20 minutes of the first half. Wolves were largely passive and made no concrete effort to mount a response.
The Gunners finished the first half with a superior xG of 0.71, reflecting their dominant sail in Wolves’ half.
Away from the disappointing first half, Wolves improved immensely in the second 45 minutes. Thomas Partey’s error nearly caused Arsenal to concede but Wolves star Ait-Nouri could not just nailed precisely after he got the ball. He fired wide with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya scrambling to his left.
Ait-Nouri’s attempt came two minutes after the hour mark and it was not long before Wolves went close again.
Eight minutes after the hour mark, David Raya and William Saliba carelessly lost possession. Matheus Cunha latched on the loose ball and was free to shoot from the edge of the box, but it was a weak attempt. Raya had no issues gathering it comfortably.
Wolves were on the ascendancy going forward. The spirited second-half performance left the game on a frenetic tempo as Arsenal battled to secure the lead and curtail dangerous attacks by the visitors.
The moment of reprieve for the Gunners finally came in the 74th minute when Kai Havertz, who scored the opening goal, assisted Saka to also find the back of the net. Receiving the ball from Havertz, Saka cut inside and beat Wolves goalkeeper Sa with a perfect finish into the bottom-right corner.
Going down by two unreplied goals, Wolves head coach O’Neil made a series of late substitutions to chisel the game but Arsenal were effectively in control of proceedings.
The game finally ended with Arsenal winning 2-0, thanks to the goals by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. It was a deserved win for the London outfit, who will hope to continue on winning ways in their next clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
In the other Premier League matches played simultaneously with the Arsenal match, Brighton sank 10-man Everton with a 3-0 away win; 10-man Newcastle United scraped past Southampton with a 1-0 victory at St James Park while Nottingham Forest drew Bournemouth 1-1.
Meanwhile, in the early kick-off, Liverpool had defeated newly promoted Ipswich Town 2-0 to kick off their campaign on a winning note.
