Soccer

ARSENAL are taking on Wolves in a huge Premier League clash RIGHT NOW.The headline team news from Molineux is that centre-back William Saliba is back to partner Gabriel, but captain Martin Odegaard is OUT for the visitors due to illness.Matheus Cunha, who is attracting interest from multiple Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, starts for the hosts.The Gunners head into the match on the back of a dominant 3-0 Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb to all but automatically secure their place in the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition.TV channel/ live stream: The match is not televised in the UKWolves starting line-up: Sa, Semedo, Doherty, Bueno, Agbadou, Ait-Nouri, J. Gomes, Andre, Sarabia, Strand Larsen; Cunha. Arsenal starting line-up: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Nwaneri; Martinelli, Havertz, TrossardCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSFollow ALL of the latest updates below…First half facts and figuresHere are some numbers that nobody is interested in because they’re too busy raging, debating or laughing at that red card decision.Copy linkCopiedFrom Jordan Davies at MolineuxOne of the worst decisions I have ever seen in this job or watching football in general.It is a cynical yellow card from inside the Wolves half, and yet referee Michael Oliver has clearly deemed it to be one of either a) a denial of a goal scoring opportunity or b) serious violent conduct/foul play.It is neither, in my book. Absolutely ludicrous.Mikel Arteta has kept his cool so far. Just wait until full-timeCopy linkCopiedHalf-time – Wolves 0-0 ArsenalWell then. It’s goalless at the break, but there’s plenty to talk about over a half-time pie and pint.The Gunners will have to play the whole of the second half with ten men after Myles Lewis-Skelly was shown the first red card of his young career for a lunge on Matt Doherty.Referee Michael Oliver was convinced the challenge was worthy of a red, and the video officials cemented that view – but not many others are on the same page.I doubt it’s the last we’ve heard of this one…Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal45+3. We’re inside seven minutes of stoppage time at the end of a first half where both teams have needed to regroup.Arsenal with the sending off of their 18-year-old left-back, and Wolves following the injury to target man Jorgen Strand Larsen.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal45. Mikel Arteta is raging with the decision, and he’s not alone in the Arsenal ranks. However, VAR quickly backed up the decision of Michael Oliver, and stated that the challenge was high above the ankle with the studs and then across the shin of Doherty. Serious foul play.In the protests, Jurrien Timber was booked for saying too much.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal43. Myles Lewis-Skelly has been sent off!!Wolves manage to survive the corner, and then immediately prepare to counter.The ball is fed into the path of Matt Doherty five yards outside the box, and as he nudges his way forward, Lewis-Skelly comes across and catches the Wolves man high on the leg.The colour of the card stuns everyone inside Molineux, but referee Michael Oliver is convinced that the challenge is high and dangerous and brings out the red immediately.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal42. Arsenal have been nowhere near their best, but you still get the feeling that the home side are hanging on and preying for the half-time whistle.The Gunners work the left flank again, and Semedo cuts out a cross for the visitors’ first corner. Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal40. Whistles ring around Molineux as the referee and then the Arsenal players keep supporters waiting.Four players in red stand over the ball, and eventually it’s left to the youngest – Nwaneri – to take aim.His left-footed curler is straight at the wall, and his follow-up thumper is blocked too.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal37. Wolves are back to being architects of their own downfall.Having made a mess of clearing their lines, the ball bobbles around the edge of the penalty area until Andre scythes down Declan Rice.It’s a free-kick to Arsenal inside the D, and dead centre.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal35. Joao Gomes picks up the game’s first yellow card after nudging the ball away following a Matheus Cunha foul on Thomas Partey.The Brazilian can’t believe it, but he should realise that you can’t do that in games against Arsenal because their fans will be unbearable for a month on social media. Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal33. This doesn’t bode well for the new-look Wolves forward line.Matheus Cunha is absolutely furious with Hee-Chan Hwang for not playing a pass exactly when and where he wanted it, and visibly makes his thoughts known.Give him a break, mate. He’s only been on the pitch 30 seconds.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal31. Hwang is now on, and a despondent Strand Larsen limps around the pitch.Mikel Arteta didn’t miss a trick though. He used that short break in play to his advantage to gather his players in a group and dish out some tactical advice. Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal28. It looks like Vitor Pereira is going to be forced into a change and Hee-Chan Hwang is being prepared. Sure enough, the ball goes out of play and Strand Larsen hits the deck. The physios are on to treat him, but he’s not going to be able to continue.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal26. Arsenal continue to move the ball about, looking for space to work a way through the Wolves defence.Meanwhile, Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is holding his hamstring. That is a really worrying sign for the home fans.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal24. Jose Sa denies Kai Havertz from point blank range!It’s an instinctive stop from the goalkeeper although the Arsenal forward really should have scored.The visitors work it forward from defence with Rice feeding Trossard on the left. The Belgian takes over and clips another cross into the middle that’s perfect for Havertz to head……straight at the keeper.Copy linkCopiedFrom Jordan Davies at MolineuxArsenal have been on top without really testing Jose Sa, but their two younglings in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have been very impressive so far.That back four also looks just so much more solid with William Saliba dictating things. Kai Havertz needs to find his shooting boots soon if Arsenal are to go into half-time on topCopy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal21. The Wolves defence present more space for another cross to be sent in from the left.This time, Jose Sa takes matters into his own hands – and the ball, for that matter – charging out to claim.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal19. And Havertz heads Arsenal in front… no, it’s inches wide!!Trossard clips an inviting cross in from the left, and the German got up highest at the far post to head down.It looked destined for the bottom corner with Sa sprawling across his line, but instead the ball slips wide.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal17. Declan Rice offers Matheus Cunha a hand up after wiping the Brazilian out with an excellent sliding challenge on the far touchline.I suppose he wants to keep him sweet in case they end up playing in the same team in the coming weeks.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal15. Quarter of an hour in, and Arsenal have dominated possession with 65% of the ball.However, they are yet to record a shot at the Wolves goal.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal13. Arsenal continue to dominate the ball, but the home side are causing problems when they push forward – especially with sharp deliveries into the box from the flanks.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal11. By the way, moments before that Pablo Sarabia effort, calamity keeper Jose Sa had almost gifted the opener to Kai Havertz.In attempting to play out from his own area, the Portuguese stopper dribbled into trouble and only just managed to dig himself out of it.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal10. Spectacular effort from Sarabia! Over the crossbar!It’s a tremendous charge down the right flank from Semedo, and his cross into the middle is just as good with the ball dropping perfectly on to the boot of Sarabia.The Spaniard meets it ever so sweetly on the volley – Robin van Persie-esque, if you will – but the shot whistles over Raya’s goal.Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal8. So the first set-piece of the day is Wolves, but the right-footed curler into the box fails to threaten and Gabriel watches it run of out play. Copy linkCopiedWolves 0-0 Arsenal7. Good – albeit slow – hold-up play by Strand Larsen dictates Wolves’ first attack with the striker eventually finding Cunha.Cunha – an Arsenal transfer target, of course – shows neat skill, and buys a cheap free-kick from Partey, who bundles into his opponent without thinking.Copy linkCopied More