Football Players: After leading Arsenal to a thrilling stoppage-time triumph over Wolves, Mikel Arteta feels captain Alexandre Lacazette is performing “like someone who wants to stay” at the club.
The Gunners appeared to be losing ground on the teams ahead of them in the fight for a top-four finish, but they eventually won 2-1 when Jose Sa palmed Lacazette’s shot into his own net late in the game.
After a mistake from Gabriel Magalhaes, Hwang Hee-chan was given the chance to put the Wolves ahead, and they looked destined to jump Arsenal into fifth place before two goals in the final eight minutes turned the game on its head.
Signing a club record Nicolas Pepe equalised 11 minutes after coming off the bench, but it was Sa’s unfortunate glove that completed the comeback for Arteta’s side, who are now just a point behind fourth-placed Manchester United with two games remaining.
‘For me, it’s his goal!’ Arteta says of Lacazette
Lacazette’s contract will expire in the summer, but he will continue to captain Arsenal, according to Arteta, who believes his performance was not that of a player looking to leave the Emirates Stadium anytime soon.
“When I see our striker chasing a full-back in the corner flag in the 85th minute, gaining the ball back, playing, going, fighting, missing one chance, losing two chances, going again,” Arteta added. What options do I have?
“I can only praise him and try to help him as much as possible and give him support. In the end, he got the reward. For me, it’s Lacazette’s goal.
“We don’t know what is going to happen at the end of the season. What he needs to do is put aside that future. It is part of our game, we don’t have contracts that run for 20 years. That’s part of our job and we have to be conscious of that.
“There’s nothing to tell him but to praise him because every single day he behaves like someone that wants to stay with us.”
Lacazette hails ‘amazing’ win
“I feel really happy, it is amazing to win this kind of game at the last minute.
“We really wanted this win because we know it is important to be at the top of the table.
“I knew it was the end of the game and Nicolas Pepe gave me a good ball. It went in and we are happy with the three points.
“A bit sad it is not gone down for me, I want to score, but most important is to win.
“We had a difficult January but we are coming back better in February.”
Lage is pleased with Wolves’ performance
Wolves were defeated, losing after leading for the first time in 45 games, but manager Bruno Lage was happy with what he saw.
“No, no I am proud,” he said when asked if he was disappointed with the loss. “The word is proud of what we did here, against this team, in this stadium.
“I think we started the game very well, we have three good chances to put the score to 2-0 to us.
“After that it is football, we tried to manage the game in the best way. Arsenal played very well and scored two goals. That is why I said I am proud.
“We played better today than we did against Leicester – but this is football, we don’t win any points today.”
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