London, Dec 14 (IANS) An own goal deep into second-half stoppage time saw Arsenal edge past Wolverhampton Wanderers that keeps gunners top of the Premier League table.

Yerson Mosquera’s own goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time spared Arsenal’s blushes as they edged out Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at Emirates Stadium.

After a quiet first half, Arsenal were much improved after the break and after forcing Wolves keeper Johnstone into some good saves, they finally got in front on 70 minutes when a Bukayo Saka corner struck a post and went in off the visiting custodian.

But as the game ticked past 90 minutes, it exploded into life. Tolu Arokodare nodded Wolves level as it looked like Arsenal would suffer a similar fate to their recent woes at Sunderland and Aston Villa, but in the 94th minute, Yerson Mosquera diverted another Saka delivery past his goalkeeper to send gunners five points clear at the top of the table.

This was the seventh time in Premier League history a team scored twice in a Premier League match with both goals being own goals, and first since Leicester against Liverpool in December 2022.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta saos after the win, “We have periods so three minutes deep, so passive, really poor defensive habits not acceptable for our level. We need to improve that and at the end, you rely on an individual action to score the goal and win the game.

“We create lots of situations without picking the right players in the final pass. Regardless of how the game goes, you can always find a solution to win it. Now we are going to have a clean week. Then we go again Christmas period, we know what happens.”

Wolves coach Rob Edwards added, “We have lost a game and I think it is our fault. The lads carried the game plan out really well. The two goals we conceded are bizarre, especially the first one. To get back in it and work that hard and show a lot of fight, spirit and courage.

“To lose it late on, it hurts. There is a lot there to like, but I hate losing. What we have come into is difficult – we are going the right way about it. It is a positive night apart from the result. But we are in a results business.”

–IANS

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