Forget Gabriel Martinelli's red, Arteta's unrepeatable decision nearly cost Arsenal everything

Arsenal received yet another red card under Mikel Arteta’s tenure as the Gunners’ manager on Thursday night.

Having just seen both Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka return from suspension, it was still somehow surprising that yet another sending off occurred in the 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux.

As is the regularity with which Arsenal gain red cards, it was hardly a shock to see Mikel Arteta asked about ensuring all the eleven players remain on the pitch in his pre-match press conference. Premonition much?

“We have to play with 11 players on the pitch. We need most of the players available and fit as much as possible. We need to maintain the togetherness. We have to keep improving our game model and we have to go game by game,” said Arteta ahead of the game with Wolves.

“To do that we have to be super focused, and we have to perform on the day and the rest will come because we are in the hands and the position where it's possible and we can achieve it but only if everybody has that mindset.

Yet as Arsenal were looking to close in on all three points at Molineux with a one-goal lead, Gabriel Martinelli, surprisingly, was sent off for two yellow card offences in the same phase of play.

From the outset, Arsenal's loss of control will be put on Martinelli's shoulders because of the sending off, however, a relatively composed Arsenal seemingly lost their head when Mikel Arteta decided to bring off their most composed individual.

The control of the game was relinquished by the substitution of Martin Odegaard way more than the red card. The Norwegian has become such a clear stalwart of the side that his influence on the team is most obvious when he is not present.

The 22-year-old is effectively the conductor of Arsenal’s tempo