Wolves 0-2 Arsenal: 3 talking points from the win at Molineux

Two second-half strikes from Martin Odegaard helped Arsenal to overcome a stern test on Saturday night as they sealed a hard-fought 2-0 win away to Premier League strugglers Wolves.

Results elsewhere meant the home side began proceedings bottom of the table, and an acute need for points saw them employ a safety-first approach to try to stifle a fluid Gunners’ attack. Their counter-attacking set-up almost paid dividends as we failed to generate any clear-cut chances in the first 45 minutes and were perhaps fortunate not to find ourselves behind at the break.

However, Arsenal continued to plug away after halftime and made the breakthrough shortly before the hour mark. An excellent reverse pass by Gabriel Jesus released Fabio Vieira between the lines and the Portuguese squared to the onrushing Odegaard who tapped home from close range.

3 talking points as Arsenal move five points clear in the Premier League with victory at Wolves

The visitors doubled their advantage twenty minutes later when Martinelli’s dogged persistence forced a turnover near the corner flag. His neat layoff then allowed Zinchenko to send a low drive into the box which eventually found its way to Odegaard, and the captain tucked the ball home to seal another important victory.

It is now seven wins in eight league matches for Arsenal and they look like the team to beat in advance of the untimely World Cup break. Here are three talking points from a memorable trip to Molineux.

#1: Martin Odegaard steps up to the mark yet again

He normally plays an influential role as the support act of a stellar frontline, but it was Odegaard himself who led the offensive effort at the weekend and his two goals will add further polish to a magnificent personal campaign.

The Norwegian’s second brace of the season propels him to the top of the club’s scoring charts across all competitions and epitomises our success in making goalscoring a collective responsibility.

His composure and powerful finish demonstrated once again how he can step up when it matters most, and managerial reports about his work on the training ground suggest we will see more of the same after the winter break.

Third place in World Cup qualifying means Odegaard will get plenty of rest before domestic football resumes on Boxing Day, and he should be ready to make a similar impact in the new year.

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