SETTABLOID

Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori enjoyed a playful exchange on Instagram following the latter’s winning goal for Arsenal against Wolves on Saturday. Having missed the last few weeks due to injury, Calafiori came off the bench and marked his return in style with a low half volley that flew into the back of the net.

Four minutes prior to that strike, Wolves joined Arsenal in having 10 players on the pitch as Joao Gomes was shown a second yellow card. Just before half-time, Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off by referee Michael Oliver after it was deemed that his late tactical foul on Matt Doherty was reckless and endangered the opponent.

As a result, assuming the red card is upheld, he will miss Premier League games against Manchester City and Leicester along with the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg away at Newcastle. Despite playing nearly 30 minutes at a man disadvantage, still claiming all three points will be huge for Mikel Arteta and his players.

Premier League leaders Liverpool enjoyed a far less chaotic afternoon with a 4-1 victory against Ipswich Town at Anfield ensuring the gap between themselves and Arsenal remains at six points. Third-placed Nottingham Forest meanwhile, suffered a damaging 5-0 defeat to injury-ravaged Bournemouth.

Despite having numerous first-team players unavailable, the Cherries are absolutely flying and Arsenal will be hoping they can continue that excellent unbeaten run next weekend against Liverpool. A similarly difficult task awaits the Gunners however, with Manchester City as the visitors to the Emirates Stadium.

Captain Martin Odegaard is expected to return after illness saw him miss out against Wolves while Arteta may be hopeful Ben White can feature. Saka and Gabriel Jesus are among those guaranteed to not play though, with Calafiori admitting he is missing the former.

With less than 10 days left of the winter transfer window, Arsenal are yet to make a significant move. However, it is understood that the club are actively working on at least one deal.

 Gunners have set their sights on Sverre Nypan and are striving to offer the most appealing career path to the 18-year-old midfielder. But they’re not alone in their pursuit, with Manchester City also showing strong interest.

The City Football Group’s network of clubs could potentially offer more opportunities for senior playtime. But the influence of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard could prove crucial in negotiations with the Norway under-21 international.

In addition to Nypan, Arsenal are reportedly still keen on securing a striker, with Benjamin Sesko remaining on their radar. Matheus Cunha has also been linked with a January move to the Emirates, although Wolverhampton Wanderers’ head coach Vitor Pereira insists the player is not up for sale.

Arsenal-linked Viktor Gyokeres has sent a message on social media with the striker facing an uncertain future at Sporting beyond the summer.

Recent reports in French newspaper L’Equipe have claimed that the Gunners are considering options to reinforce their attack with Gyokeres, 26, and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, on their list. Gyokeres’ 34 goals this season have made him one of Europe’s sought-after strikers, with Manchester United also linked.

Sporting beat Nacional 2-0 on Saturday, with Gyokeres providing an assist. The Swede played 89 minutes before being taken off ahead of Sporting’s crucial Champions League fixture against Bologna on Wednesday as they seek a play-off place.

And the star forward has reacted on social media with Sporting now six points clear of second-placed Benfica in the Portuguese top-flight table after 19 matches.

The player himself, however, has halted speculation about his future, insisting there have not yet been any talks to get a deal done. “It’s fun but nothing I attach any importance to because it’s talk and nothing concrete,” he said via Fabrizio Romano late last year.

Arsenal returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the road.

The Gunners were anticipated to secure a comfortable victory against Wolves, but they were made to work hard for the result.

Referee Michael Oliver had a major part to play. He sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly before the half-time interval for a tactical foul.

Despite being a man down, Arsenal were the better side after the break and got an advantage of their own with Joao Gomes’ red card.

Gomes should have been sent off earlier in the half for kicking the ball away. He was eventually handed his second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Jurrien Timber.

Riccardo Calafiori scored the winner in the 74th minute with a terrific first-time shot, but Arsenal should have won the game by a significant margin.

Kai Havertz squandered two clear-cut chances during the opening half. He missed out on another golden opportunity shortly after the hour mark.

Aside from this, the German had a passing accuracy of 43 percent with six successful passes. He lost 11 out of 20 duels, losing possession 16 times.

Havertz has had a good second year at Arsenal with 14 goals. He has already matched his tally from his debut campaign at the London giants.

Despite this, more is expected from a striker leading the line for the Gunners.

The club’s owners Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) must spend on a marquee striker this winter to keep Arsenal’s league title hopes alive this term.

Arsenal registered a hard-fought 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Gunners made a strong start against the Midlands outfit at the Molineux Stadium but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal.

Kai Havertz squandered two brilliant chances to find the back of the net, and Arsenal were handed a significant setback before the interval.

Referee Michael Oliver brandished a straight red card for a tactical foul from Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal responded brilliantly with a positive attitude after the break. Joao Gomes’ sending-off in the 70th minute was a huge boost for them.

Riccardo Calafiori grabbed the winner with a terrific first-time shot in the 74th minute before David Raya made a crucial save to deny Rayan Ait-Nouri.

Calafiori was undoubtedly the man of the match, but there were several stand-out performers including Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Thomas Partey was equally impressive in the heart of the midfield. He stepped up with a strong showing particularly after the Gunners went down to 10 men.

The Ghanaian won seven duels and made seven ball recoveries. He completed 100 percent of his long balls (3/3) with three successful tackles and two interceptions.

Partey had a passing accuracy of 89 percent. He looked back to his best in his preferred holding midfield position after a tough time at right-back against Aston Villa.

The £12.6 million-rated midfielder has had an injury-plagued Arsenal career but has made 33 appearances this term, which is his second-most in a single season at the club.

Arsenal earned a crucial 1-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday to keep their Premier League title hopes alive.

Riccardo Calafiori’s second-half goal was enough for Mikel Arteta’s side after Lewis-Skelly’s controversial sending-off at Molineux. The Gunners sit six points behind league leaders Liverpool, with Arne Slot’s team also having a game in hand.

There is still plenty to play for this season for Arsenal as they also look to overturn a two-goal deficit in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Newcastle whilst also competing in Europe. Below are some of the latest media reports from around the Emirates Stadium.

Cunha boost

Matheus Cunha reportedly favours a move to Arsenal over other Premier League rivals. The Wolves forward has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal’s late win at Wolves could potentially prove so crucial to their hopes come the end of the 2024/25 Premier League season. Appearing to be another game where Mikel Arteta’s men would drop points after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card on the stroke of half-time left them with ten men for a chunk of the contest, the visitors won it in the 74th minute courtesy of Riccardo Calafiori’s fine finish.

The Italian had been introduced at the break in place of Ethan Nwaneri as Arteta tinkered with his team following the red card. Taking on Lewis-Skelly’s left-back role, Calafiori was lurking just outside the Wolves box when Gabriel Martinelli picked up possession of the ball on the right flank with 16 minutes to go.

Edging into the area unmarked, the summer addition was in the right place to convert low into the far corner of the net with his left foot after Nelson Semedo could only head the ball directly into his path. It was some goal from the 22-year-old and certainly not the finish of a left-back.

His second goal in an Arsenal shirt, Calafiori is setting the bar very high indeed when it comes to the standard of his strikes. As was the case at Man City back in September, the Italian ace immediately ran over to Arteta, the coaching staff and the Arsenal substitutes to celebrate the moment.

All involved with Arsenal certainly appreciated his winning strike and the celebrations come the full-time whistle told the full story. In an interview with Optus Sport, Calafiori revealed that he was joking with his teammates after the game that he only scores goals of a certain standard.