Gabriel goal earns Arsenal tight victory over Wolves in Premier League

Gabriel breathed fresh life into Arsenal’s Champions League hopes as the 10-man Gunners hung on for a gritty win at Wolves.

The defender’s first-half winner settled an ill-tempered game with the visitors earning a 1-0 victory.

Gabriel Martinelli was sent off for two yellow cards within seconds of each other — the Gunners’ fourth dismissal in their last six games — after two quickfire fouls in the second half.

Wolves could not take advantage, though, and lost ground on the visitors, who climb to fifth in the Premier League, in the race for Europe.

Arsenal moved above Manchester United with their first win since Boxing Day and are now a point behind West Ham with two games in hand.

January’s trip to Dubai allowed them to hit the reset button after a chastening few weeks which had seen them exit the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Victory will give Mikel Arteta fresh belief his side can return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17.

“To win football mathes like that [with 10 men] is extremely difficult and we have to stop it. We've been talking about it. I have run out of ideas [about how to stop it], I think,” said Arteta.

“The character, how we dug in, the spirit we showed, I'm really proud of the boys. There was togetherness and unity.

“We need to play with 11 players in the last 16 games and that is key. To win games with 10 men is very unlikely.”

In contrast, it was a damaging blow at the start of a run for eighth-placed Wolves which is likely to decide their season.

They face a rearranged trip to the Emirates later this month while also playing fellow European hopefuls Tottenham, Leicester and West Ham.

Bruno Lage’s understated nature has, in part, allowed Wolves to sneak under the radar — their miserly