VAR storm as Arsenal edge Wolves with stoppage-time twist
Arsenal got there in the end, but blimey, they made hard work of it. Against a Wolves side in wretched nick, Mikel Arteta’s title-chasers needed two own goals and a 94th-minute sting in the tail to bank the points, as the Emirates went from sighs to roars in a heartbeat. And while the Gunners walked away 2-1 winners, the talk afterwards was all about a tackle and a colour of card.
Late drama, long runs, and a nervy night
The breakthrough finally came on 70 minutes from a set-piece scramble: Bukayo Saka’s corner smacked the woodwork and ricocheted off the goalkeeper and in for the opener. Relief, at last. But Wolves, winless in 19 league matches and on an eight-game skid that matches their bleakest runs of the 1980s, found a lifeline in stoppage time when a substitute rose highest to nod past David Raya.
Just when it felt like two points had slipped away, Arsenal pressed and forced the issue again. A wicked delivery caused chaos and Yerson Mosquera turned into his own net on 94 minutes, restoring the home side’s advantage and sparking wild celebrations. It wasn’t pretty, but it was priceless.
The flashpoint: Hwang’s lunge on Lewis-Skelly
Amid the ebb and flow, one moment lit the fuse. Hwang Hee-chan thundered into a challenge on Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, studs showing and at real pace. Referee Robert Jones reached for yellow, and VAR stuck with it after a check, judging that Hwang was pulling out and that the contact—on the foot—was reckless rather than brutal.
Hackett: That’s a red all day
Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett wasn’t having it. His view was unequivocal: the tackle met the threshold for excessive force. Straight leg, studs visible, and the player off the ground—his argument was that the safety of the opponent was endangered, regardless of the height of contact. In short, he felt the on-field yellow and VAR’s backing were both the wrong call.
Clattenburg agrees: VAR inconsistency bites again
Mark Clattenburg, never shy of a verdict, sided with Hackett. He pointed to speed, force and the studs as the damning trio, and insisted the tackle had the potential to do serious damage. For him, this was another example of the inconsistency that is driving Premier League supporters—and managers—round the bend week to week.
Result first, performance second for the Gunners
Arsenal were miles from their slick best, and almost paid for it. Still, champions-in-waiting are judged on the points column, not the aesthetics. They found a way, even if it took deflections and own goals to get there. Wolves’ resilience belied their form, but they remain rooted at the wrong end and desperately short on confidence.
If you’re weighing up form swings and late-goal drama, it’s nights like this that remind you how fine the margins are. For punters eyeing the next round, our pick of the best betting sites can help you gauge the market—just don’t expect VAR to be any more predictable next week.
What’s next
Arteta’s men hit the road to the Hill Dickinson Stadium next weekend in search of another three points, while Wolves return to Molineux to face Brentford. If the VAR debate follows them into those fixtures, nobody will be surprised.
