David Luiz and Bernd Leno sent off as nine-man Arsenal self-destruct at Wolves
Arsenal’s David Luiz is shown a red card by referee Craig Pawson. Picture: Nick Potts/PA
If not a watery grave then Arsenal wilfully submerged themselves into a chaotic submission at monsoon-like Molineux last night.
Utterly in control and embarrassingly better than their inferior opponents until just before half-time, they conspired to throw away the lead and have David Luiz and Bernd Leno sent off.
While for 45-plus minutes they had looked like stretching their seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, the second half belonged to Wolves, who picked up their first win in nine league games.
And it owed so much to the clumsiness of Luiz appearing to clip the heels of Willian Jose to give away the equalising penalty, then the horrific misjudgement of Leno which resulted in their second red card of the night.
It left Arteta questioning the judgement of VAR however.
“It was a big decision (over the Luiz incident),” said the Spaniard. “They got it right and if they can justify they got it right I will apologise.
“I can’t see any contact and it was a big moment in the game.
“I have seen it 10 times and watched five different angles and I can’t see any contact so I would like to see if VAR has a different angle.” Arteta admitted Leno’s dismissal – a clear rush of blood – was more straightforward however.
“Bernd came out and handballed it and it was a clear red card,” he said.
“He made a decision in a split second and reacted naturally to the ball. After that it was almost impossible to win the game.” It could have been so different as Arsenal started like an express train.
Thomas Partey sent Bukayo Saka through in the inside right position and Wolves’ defence parted like the waves.
Max Kilman tried in vain to stop Saka but was woefully outpaced before the exciting striker let the home side off by planting a left-foot shot against the post.
Saka was proving irresistible for Arsenal and unplayable for Wolves.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had another let off when the 19-year-old’s snapshot was dragged out of the air by Rui Patricio when Emile Smith-Rowe’s cross fell behind him.
Arsenal thought they had broken the deadlock in the ninth minute – their scintillating play certainly deserved it – but this time, VAR came to Wolves’ rescue.
A cross flicked on by Alexandre Lacazette caught Saka and team-mate Nicolas Pepe marginally offside before the latter pulled it back to Saka, who rifled home right footed from 12 yards.
Wolves knew they had received a mighty let-off – even their captain, Conor Coady, could be heard bellowing as much to warn his team-mates.
As if stirred by their sudden fortune, Wolves responded.
Nelson Semedo advanced to produce a skidding drive that was scrambled away by Leno.
Arsenal returned fire and Pepe stung the hands of Rui Patricio with a fierce, rising drive.
But Arteta’s side were celebrating a deserved goal in the 32nd minute.
It owed so much to tenacity, skill and opportunism by Pepe but also some truly woeful defending from Wolves.
Pepe beat Semedo three times in the build-up, followed that up by nutmegging Ruben Neves deep inside the penalty area before curling a shot past the ducking Coady and beyond Patricio into the far corner of the net for his seventh goal of the season.
It was shocking from Wolves but no more than Arsenal deserved.
But bizarrely, the home side were handed a lifeline in time added on at the end of the first half.
Luiz inadvertently appeared to clip the heels of Jose as he ran clean through on to a pass from Daniel Podence and the Brazilian forward was sent sprawling.
Referee Craig Pawson had little choice but to send off the former Chelsea defender and up stepped Neves to score from the spot.
It was more than Wolves could have hoped for.
But it got better for them four minutes after the break.
Joao Moutinho, at 34 with only two goals in his previous 122 appearances in gold and black, produced an outrageous finish from fully 30 yards with a drive that arrowed in off Leno’s right-hand post.
Suddenly, Wolves were a different proposition and it was only to get even better for them as Arsenal appeared to lose their heads.
Leno, under no real pressure, came racing out of his area to fist away a pass from Semedo in the 72nd minute and became the second Arsenal player to be despatched for an early bath.
Nuno, the Wolves head coach, was a relieved man at the final whistle.
“It’s a very welcome win. It means a lot, we have been in a tough moment,” he said.
“The beginning of the game was very difficult – Arsenal were playing very good football, they counter-attacked and they had good possession.
“But everything changed with the penalty.
“I think the referee doesn’t have any other options in both situations (red cards).”
Patricio 7; Semedo 6, Coady 6, Boly 7, Kilman 6; Traore 7, Neves 6 (Dendoncker 74 mins, 6), Moutinho 7, Neto 6; Jose 7 (Fábio Silva 90+1 mins, 6), Podence 6 (Vitinha 62 mins, 6).
Leno 4; Bellerin 6, Holding 6, David Luiz 5, Soares 6; Partey 6 (Rúnarsson 75 mins, 6), Xhaka 6; Saka 6, Smith-Rowe 6, Pepe 8 (Aubameyang 61 mins, 6); Lacazette 7 (Gabriel 46 mins, 6).
Craig Pawson 7
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