Arsenal gathered in the second half against Wolves and secured a vital 1-0 win at West Midlands to keep them in the title race.
The task of the Gunners on Saturday afternoon became even more difficult when Myles Lewis-Skelly was harshly expelled from the end of the first half, but Joao Gomes offered Arsenal a road to three points, giving Michael Oliver another solution. the playing field between the second half.
Riccardo Calafiori's hit turned out to be the difference between the two sides in what was a controversial but low quality issue. The result means that Arsenal's deficit against Liverpool is still six points, while the situation has not changed for Wolves at the end of the table.
How was the game developed
Arsenal received some major injuries in defense before the match, with Mikel Artes, welcomed William Saliba and the growing midfielder turned left to Lewis-Skelly in his 11th. Meanwhile, Vitor Pereira, surprisingly, named a team unchanged from Monday night's loss to Chelsea.
There were early possession of gunners, but Wolves looked the most alive in the opening stages as they went into duels and intended to pass rapidly. Pablo Sarabia rejected the first major opportunity for the race after meeting Nelson Semedo's Kros in hail, but his attempt sailed.
The hosts were often the architects of Arsenal's success in the first half, as they constantly played their way in trouble. Visitors captured Wolves's raised weaknesses, but they once again lacked the ruthless ability to punish. Kai Havertz had twice had to give the title of the title hope, but he put a headache and another welcomed him from Jose Sa.
These were the two important moments of Arsenal in an opening period without craftsmanship and quality, with the absence of Martin Odegaard only added monotony. A very stupid part was enlivened towards its completion by Michael Oliver, who excluded Lewis-Skelly for the collapse of Matt Dohety with the Irish trying to break.
Feeling upset, Arsenal did not surrender at the beginning of the second half, starting the strongest from both teams as captain on the day Gabriel approached before Declan Rice sting his palms. However, it didn't take long for Wolves to win the upper hand with a masculine advantage as the impact of Matheus Cunha grew. The Brazilian was close to opening the result from a stroke set.
However, Wolves's momentum was weakened after the discharge of Joao Gomes raised the level of the playing field. Arsenal immediately took advantage of the cramp with the race heading to the last 15 minutes. The substitute for the first half, Calafiori, slammed the box and scored the second goal for the club with a cultured finish in the corner.
The fiercest defense of the division then had to close a team that had lost the target player due to injury at the opening period to see an important victory. Wolves had a moment, but Rayan Ait-Noah shot at David Rayas after exploding. Otherwise, the Gunners did not get tired to maintain their advantage.
Liverpool would never be lost at home by Ipswich (and they did not lose), so Arsenal had to win here to keep at least a little pressure on League leaders.
Lewis-Skelly's red card reduced their chances of victory, but their performance even before the tire was fired was full of courage and character. They remained determined to press up the field and were able to create a chance for regularity for the local team.
As it was ten against ten, there would be only one winner. The moment was with the arts and they were immediately thrown. Calafiori's goal was well marked after Arsenal tested wolves protection with another cross, and the Italian left the celebration, as he did in Etihad in September.
Their deficit against the REDS remains six points as a result of their resilience and Calafiori competing with another depraved appearance of Kai Havertz.
Wolves entered the week of play with the worst premier league defense and after suffering the largest percentage of goals from groups (17 out of 51 via Select). Their inability to defend set matches was a major issue under Gary O'neil, with Pereira doing a lot of work to tighten his team from such situations.
However, Chelsea's success from the dead ball on Monday night stressed that those issues remained and the signs were ominous for the hosts on Saturday, as the most fertile division group visited Molinuex.
On average, Wolves submits most of the Premier League match, but Arsenal recorded only one in the opening period – and the distribution was weak. The state of the game meant that Pereira's team was not subject to a barrage, and while the Gunners created most of their cases from the crosses, they did not use the apparent inconsistency from the blows.
There is something for Michael Oliver and Arsenal in Molineux. Remember when Gabriel Martinelli received his march orders from Oliver after receiving two yellow cards in the same sequence?
Arsenal's supporters have had a retaliation against the official since then and he would not have entered any of Goners's good books after dismissing the smart Lewis-Skelly teenager on Saturday afternoon.
The whole stadium waited yellow after Doherty crashed on the ground, but Oliver went a further and removed Lewis-Skelly. The challenge was cynical, no doubt, but the fact that Doherty was caught by Lewis-Skelly's sticks on the ankle allowed VAR to stay with the decision on the field. It is supposed to have fulfilled the threshold of 'serious foul game'.
Would anyone beat an eyelid if Lewis-Skelly had been announced? The second challenge of the yellow card tire was worse!