Granit Xhaka scored a brace to help Arsenal produce one of the high-scoring football scores of the weekend in the Premier League. In the first half, Xhaka, who is close to joining Bayer Leverkusen, scored both goals in a span of only three minutes, setting the tone for an out-of-control Arsenal display. Bukayo Saka scored the third goal with a beautiful finish, Gabriel Jesus added the fourth goal in the second half, and Jakub Kiwior completed the scoring with his first club goal after Jose Sa, the custodian, made a handling blunder. Wolves performed poorly in what may have been Julen Lopetegui’s final game in charge while the Spaniard served a touchline suspension, allowing the hosts to finish the season on a positive note despite not winning the championship, with their 84 points being their most in 20 years.
The home crowd applauded Xhaka’s name as the starting lineups were announced before kickoff, but the praise for the Swiss international would soon become louder. No one wearing a Wolves jersey was anywhere near him when he nodded in his first goal, which was a cross from Jesus who had done well to make room for the delivery. When he scored his second goal, Wolves once again left him open in the area. Martin Odegaard’s flick rebounded off a defender and into his path for a low finish that brought further astonished cheers from the home crowd.
The 21-year-old Saka scored the third goal beautifully, firing a magnificent finish into the far corner following clever approach play involving Thomas Partey, Odegaard, and Leandro Trossard. Wolves were unable to contain Saka on Arsenal’s right-hand side. Arsenal kept pushing forward, and when Xhaka once again found himself in space in the box, he had the chance to complete a first-half hat trick. However, his attempt to score sailed wide. However, the Gunners applied constant pressure on Wolves in the second half and added a fourth goal when Trossard intercepted a ball from Jorginho in the back and dug out a cross that Jesus met with a powerful header.
Wolves provided almost any resistance, failing to even attempt a shot on goal, and the Gunners finished the slaughter when Kiwior’s easy shot evaded Sa’s grasp. At the final whistle, the Wolves players rushed over to their traveling fans to apologize, as Arsenal celebrated their greatest point total since the Invincibles.
“I am an individual. I feel things. The way they expressed their love and support for the club, each player, and certainly for me as well, was very, really beautiful. A very emotional year and a memorable season have marked it. I’m incredibly thrilled because the team and our people deserved to conclude it on a positive note,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “One of my nightmares involved it. My greatest goal was probably to reestablish a connection with the heart of our football team and our people. There is no controversy about what we did since we already did it. That really makes me happy and appreciative to have been a part of that journey with you. We want to bring success, and the goal must be trophy success and this club’s delight, but we also need to enjoy the process of getting there.”
“It’s obviously not good. Although we lost to one of the top teams in the Premier League, I am unhappy with how we lost. No one is ever pardoned by the Premier League. It’s harder if you don’t finish your assignment. I am aware that we may soon face financial issues. But you need a strong team if you want to compete in the Premier League,” Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui said. “You must put on your best face if you want to compete against Arsenal here at the Emirates. If not, it cannot be done. It’s unfortunate because I don’t want to forget the team’s amazing second half of the season, which included them getting out of the relegation zone three matches before the season ended. Perhaps it was a small miracle, but we must now learn for the future. Perhaps one miracle can happen, but two? No. You must thus get better and complete your assignment.”
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