Arsenal came out late winners in a hotly contested match against Wolverhampton Wanderers following a last-minute goal from Alexandre Lacazette.
The Gunners struggled to stamp their marker early in the game due to officiating mistakes, and a lapse of concentration in the defence.
However, the second half was completely different for Arsenal when Nicolas Pepe was introduced to the side, as the Ivorian injected a different energy which gave Mikel Arteta’s team a cutting edge in front of goal.
A crucial 2-1 win for Arsenal who have strengthened the position in the race for Champions League football next season.
The Good: Nicolas Pepe's revenge
Nicolas Pepe changed the game when he came on and was sensational in the twenty-minute cameo he was given by Mikel Arteta.
The Spaniard said Pepe looked like a different player when returning from the African Cup of Nations, and that was certainly proved by his performance against Wolves.
His excellent composure to grab the equaliser sparked a magnificent comeback for the Gunners, which gives the club a major push for Champions League football next season.
If Pepe continues to impact the side as he did on Thursday evening against Wolves he will start to become a fan favourite and turn his career around in an Arsenal shirt.
The Bad: Gabriel's poor start
Despite the heroics towards the end of the match, it would be wrong not to analyse what happened at the start, and the costly mistake made by Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Brazilian had a better second-half but was woeful at the beginning of the match which could have cost the team three points after a string of individual errors.
Thankfully he stepped up after his costly error and became a rock at the back which saw the team keep Wolves' attack quiet.
If Arsenal want to qualify for the top four and minimise the risks, then the concentration levels will need to be maintained throughout the match.
Ugly: Poor officiating continues
Once again Arsenal have fallen victim to the terrible officiating by the Premier League referees who seem to make sure their decisions concerning Arsenal against the favour of the north London side whether right or wrong.
The poor decision-making started early in the first minute of the match when Gabriel Martinelli was denied a clear penalty, and Arsenal’s bright spark became dull as a result.
Wolves had a goal ruled out for offside by VAR but the decision took longer than necessary as the decision was obvious, which made it seem like the referees were desperate to award a goal for the visitors.
Another game and another reason for Arsenal to rightly complain about a key decision not going in their favour, which could have altered the outcome of the match.
Make sure you have subscribed to The Arsenal Way and the Fan Brands team along with plenty of your football.london favourites will be producing daily Arsenal content for you to enjoy including match reactions, podcasts, football fun and interviews.
