Arsenal 5-0 Wolves: Player ratings as Gunners run riot on final day
Arsenal wound down their Premier League season with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium.
Granit Xhaka was one the stars of the show for the Gunners, scoring twice on what is likely to be his farewell appearance, while Bukayo Saka put in another top class showing en route to scoring his 14th goal of the season.
Gabriel Jesus scored the fourth, heading home a superb cross from player of the match Leandro Trossard, before Jakub Kiwior scored his first goal for Arsenal.
As for Wolves, they looked as if they were already on holiday mode - much to the chagrin of the glum-looking Julen Lopetegui - and never really laid a glove on Arsenal throughout the 90 minutes.
It didn't take long for Arsenal to open the scoring on a fine sunny day in north London. Thomas Partey spread the ball wide to Gabriel Jesus on the right wing and he drove at young left-back Hugo Bueno, who looked hugely out of his depth before being taken off at half-time.
Jesus' pinpoint cross was headed down into the bottom corner by Xhaka, though Jose Sa may feel he could have done better.
Three minutes later it was 2-0 and game over for Arsenal. Saka linked up nicely with Martin Odegaard after leaving Bueno for dead, and the Norwegian's flick bounced off Max Kilman into the path of Xhaka. He did the rest, sliding the ball past the forlorn Sa.
Saka made it three just before the half-hour mark, bending a superb individual effort into the far corner, before Thomas Partey had a goal chalked off after the break because of a Ben White foul on Sa.
Jesus made it four after the break, heading home at the back post after Trossard latched onto a superb Jorginho through ball, before Kiwior added the gloss with a scrappy fifth that Sa really should have saved.
Arsenal player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Aaron Ramsdale - 6/10 - There will be few Premier League afternoons as easy as this one for Ramsdale. Decent distribution.
RB: Thomas Partey - 7/10 - Not put under much pressure from a defensive standpoint. Nice spread of the play led to Arsenal's opener.
CB: Ben White - 7/10 - A match-up against prime Raul Jimenez might have worked out differently than this particular outing.
CB: Gabriel - 7/10 - Comfortable afternoon for the Brazilian.
LB: Jakub Kiwior - 7/10 - Could easily have given away a penalty after seemingly hauling down Traore. VAR did not agree. Scored a late fifth.
DM: Jorginho - 8/10 - Bitty performance in midfield, ensuring Arsenal regained possession quickly whenever it was lost. Wonderful through ball released Trossard for the fourth goal.
CM: Martin Odegaard - 7/10 - Allowed his central midfield partner to steal the show and clearly had more to give if necessary.
CM: Granit Xhaka - 9/10 - If this is the Swiss' final performance in red and white, he signed off in style.
RW: Bukayo Saka - 9/10 - Another really classy performance from Saka, albeit against a rotated Wolves side who looked devoid of confidence.
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 - 9/10 - Really lively performance from the Belgian, capped with another brace of assists. Has made a real impact at the Emirates.
Substitutes
SUB: Reiss Nelson (60' for Saka) - 6/10 - Not a huge impact as Arsenal saw out the game in cruise control.
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
Manager
Mikel Arteta - 9/10 - Delightful way for the Spaniard's side to end their season.
Wolves player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Jose Sa - 3/10 - Could probably have done better with Xhaka's header and definitely should have done better with Kiwior's fifth. Spent the rest of his afternoon scooping the ball out of the net.
RB: Nelson Semedo - 3/10 - Struggled to contend with the movement and quality of Trossard.
CB: Nathan Collins - 3/10 - Included in the starting lineup ahead of Craig Dawson - not entirely clear on this evidence why that was.
CB: Max Kilman - 2/10 - First 45 minutes comprised of zero tackles, zero duels won, zero headers won and an inadvertent assist for Xhaka’s second goal. Uncharacteristically bad by his usual standards.
LB: Hugo Bueno - 3/10 - Absolutely all at sea against Saka, while Jesus shouldn't have been able to get to the byline as easily as he did. Hooked at the break.
DM: Joao Gomes - 3/10 - Not a bad player by any means but quite the journey to go in order to reach Ruben Neves levels.
CM: Mario Lemina - 3/10 - Outclassed in midfield by an Arsenal side enjoying their final outing of the season.
CM: Matheus Nunes - 4/10 - Took a whack in the first minute from Xhaka and allowed the game to pass him by in the opening half hour.
RW: Adama Traore - 6/10 - The one real outlet that Wolves had on the counter attack. Still absolutely bursting full of pace.
CF: Raul Jimenez - 3/10 - The Mexican still sees the game as well as he ever did but the resulting output just isn't at the level it once was.
LW: Hwang Hee-chan - 5/10 - Caused Partey a couple of problems but didn't see anywhere near enough of the ball.
Substitutes
SUB: Rayan Ait-Nouri (46' for Bueno) - 4/10 - Couldn't help stem the bleeding.
SUB: Ruben Neves (46' for Nunes) - 5/10 - A move away from Molineux can't come quick enough on this evidence.
SUB: Boubacar Traore (68' for Hwang) - 5/10
SUB: Toti Gomes (68' for Kilman) - 5/10
SUB: Joe Hodge (85' for Gomes) - N/A
Subs not used: Bentley (GK), Dawson, Sarabia, Cunha
Manager
Julen Lopetegui - 3/10 - Looked thoroughly miserable and dejected in the stands. Don't be surprised if the Spaniard walks out based on broken promises.