Player Ratings: Arsenal 5-0 Wolves as Granit Xhaka grabs a brace

Granit Xhaka scores twice as Gunners sweep aside sorry Wolves 5-0 in front of an end of term party atmosphere at the Emirates



Player Ratings: Arsenal 5-0 Wolves as Granit Xhaka grabs a brace


Arsenal routed sorry Wolves to round-off their Premier League season in style. 

Mikel Arteta's side, who were already assured of second place, ended the campaign on 84 points - the Gunners' highest points tally since the 'Invincibles' team took the title with 90 in 2003-04.

Granit Xhaka, who could have played his final game in red and white fittingly grabbed a brace as the Gunners swept aside their visitors on a sunny afternoon ion North London.

Xhaka, who has been heavily linked with a move back to the Bundesliga, put the Gunners ahead when he nodded home Gabriel Jesus' early cross from the right after only 11 minutes. 

The Swiss midfielder then stroked in a second from close range 180 seconds later, scoring Arsenal's 100th goal of the campaign in all competitions, after Wolves defender Max Kilman inadvertently deflected the ball into his path.

With insipid Wolves having nothing to play, Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard combined down the right to feed Bukayo Saka, who curled in a superb third.

Arsenal contunued to be relentless after the break, with Jesus heading in their fourth at the back post from Trossard's pinpoint cross.

There was still time for Jakub Kiwior to grab his first goal for the Gunners to make it five afte substitute Emile Smith Rowe chested the ball to him with 12 minutes remaining. 

 

Read on for our Player Ratings 

GK: Aaron Ramsdale - 7/10 - An easy afternoon 

RB: Thomas Partey - 7/10 - Ended the season with perhaps his easiest match

CB: Ben White - 7/10 - Gareth who?

CB: Gabriel - 7/10 - Comfortable 

LB: Jakub Kiwior - 7/10 - Scored his first goal for Arsenal

DM: Jorginho - 8/10 - Uses the ball so well in tight situations 

CM: Martin Odegaard - 7/10 - Such a creative talent

CM: Granit Xhaka - 8/10 - Signed off in style with a brace of goals. Would have brought the house down if he had connected properly with a chance before half time for a farewell hattrick but it wasn't to be. Leaves with the best wishes of every single Arsenal supporter after his redemption in red and white 

RW: Bukayo Saka - 8/10 - A goal in the week he signed his new long term contract. How is this lad still only 21?

CF: Gabriel Jesus - 8/10 - Lovely, lovely cross for Xhaka's opening goal. His best work came out in the channels but got into a great position to head home Arsenal's fourth.

LW: Leandro Trossard - 8/10 - Really lively performance from the Belgian, capped with another brace of assists while rocking the Jonny Lee Miller look

Substitutes

SUB: Reiss Nelson (60' for Saka) - 6/10

SUB: Fabio Vieira (76' for Xhaka) - N/A

SUB: Emile Smith Rowe (76' for Odegaard) - N/A

SUB: Kieran Tierney (80' for Kiwior) - N/A

SUB: Eddie Nketiah (80' for Jesus) - N/A

Subs not used: Turner (GK), Walters, Holding, Bandeira

 


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