Odegaard brace extends Gunners’ lead at the top

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Arsenal headed into the game aiming to take advantage after Brentford’s surprise victory at Manchester City earlier in the day but did not have it all its own way in the Midlands.

Gabriel Jesus had an early effort chalked off for offside and struck the frame of the goal in the first half, while Wolves presented a threat on the counter.

Arsenal’s patience paid off in the second half with captain Odegaard taking his season tally of league goals to six to seal all three points and leave the home side bottom.

Jesus smashed home after six minutes only to be denied by the offside flag before Granit Xhaka was replaced in just the 16th minute by Fabio Vieira due to illness.

Wolves went close to breaking the deadlock on the counter attack but Goncalo Guedes fired his attempt over.

The visiting side found a breakthrough 10 minutes after the restart, Jesus poking a pass through to Vieira who cut back across the face of goal for Odegaard to tap home from close range.

Gabriel Martinelli forced a fine save from Jose Sa soon after as the London giant pressed to double its advantage, with Toti then making a fine tackle to prevent Odegaard from tucking home again.

Norway ace Odegaard was not to be denied again when he was on hand in the 75th minute, in the right spot in the middle of the box after Sa denied Martinelli to coolly slot home his second of the game.

With the season halting for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and no Premier League football to be played until Boxing Day, Mikel Arteta’s side will sit top of the table at Christmas for the first time since the 2007-2008 season.

However, the past five times Arsenal has been in that position (1951-1952, 1986-1987, 1989-1990, 2002-2003 and 2007-2008) it has not managed to go on to lift the title at the end of the campaign.

Defeat to Arsenal leaves Wolves with just one win and one draw in their previous nine league matches, with new boss Julen Lopetegui facing a tough ask when his role begins on Monday.