Arsenal welcomed the return of Premier League action with a nerve-racking 3-2 victory against Swansea at the Emirates Stadium. The game started with a solid start for the Gunners with Walcott’s double putting the home side comfortably ahead, however, Swansea earned a brace for themselves before the half hour mark keeping Bob Bradley’s hopes alive.
Birthday boy Mesut Ozil then restored Arsenal’s two goal lead thanks to Alexis Sanchez who marked a clear pass to the German but Swansea hit back once again in the form of Borja Baston who made the score 3-2.
It was assumed Arsenal would make a third attempt to maintain a two goal gap between themselves and the Swans but a red card to Granit Xhaka turned the final twenty minutes of the match into a desperate fight to keep the 3 points intact.
The North London outfit stayed put and cancelled any hopes for the visitors to give their new manager something to celebrate. The referee blew the final whistle and Wenger’s side went second in the league with equal points to Manchester City.
Here’s how the entire drama unravelled on twitter.
Walcott’s opening goal gave Arsenal a comfortable start to a tricky fixture.
GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!! Hector Bellerin heads it across for Theo Walcott to smuggle it in. 1-0 #AFCvSCFC
— AllArsenal.com (@AllArsenalnews) October 15, 2016
Theo Walcott
2016/2017; 5 goals in 8 league games.
2015/2016; 5 goals in 28 league games.— Osman (@OsmanZtheGooner) October 15, 2016
Theo Walcott celebrates his opening goal against Swansea with his Arsenal teammates.
Right place, right time. pic.twitter.com/AUAFTiSbKt
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) October 15, 2016
Goaaaaaaal !! Theo Walcott in fine form scores to break deadlock #Arsenal #AFCvSCFC pic.twitter.com/NmxJfyJrXd
— ArsenalFanTV (@ArsenalFanTV) October 15, 2016
Arsenal score another strange goal!
This time, Jordi Amat has no idea where Theo Walcott is, and the Arsenal man sneaks in to make it 1-0.
— Messi Minutes (@MessiMinutes) October 15, 2016
#afc 1-0 #Swansea Walcott steals in to score from close range.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) October 15, 2016
Theo Walcott’s recent form:
Games: 5
Goals: 5 pic.twitter.com/qFrccd7qz0— The Sun – Arsenal (@SunArsenal) October 15, 2016
If the first goal wasn’t enough, Walcott’s second definitely eased Gunners’ worry over chances of the Swans continuing their unbeaten run at the Emirates.
Theo has finally realised that you don’t have to start as a CF to be a CF. Can drift centrally whenever he wants, as per Wenger’s Freedom™.
— Arsenal Report (@ArsenalReport) October 15, 2016
Theo Walcott this season is like a new player. #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/YQMaucnRfa
— Arsenal (@tomgunner14) October 15, 2016
Wanted Mahrez but Arsène said we have leftover Walcott and Iwobi at home. Father always knows best
— TF⁹ (@TheFalseNein) October 15, 2016
Alexis, Walcott and Ozil are unplayable on this form. Iwobi so good as well. Can’t believe he’s not being hyped up.
— ARSENAL (@Artekkers) October 15, 2016
Wenger on Walcott #ClassicArsène pic.twitter.com/S9y7M9MFzv
— Michael Gooner (@MickTheGooner) October 15, 2016
All the Theo Walcott haters right now pic.twitter.com/frpYXna04K
— Memz (@AFCMemz) October 15, 2016
GOAAAAAAAL cool and composed finish from Theo Walcott with #AnotherOne 2-0 #Arsenal #AFCvSCFC pic.twitter.com/KoUHj59mSC
— ArsenalFanTV (@ArsenalFanTV) October 15, 2016
Walcott again… 2-0
Wenger right nowpic.twitter.com/1EWxEswTnY— Mohamed ELNneny (@ELNnenyM) October 15, 2016
This moment >> pic.twitter.com/UY1qeERd4w
— Pádraig 〽️ (@VintageOzil) October 15, 2016
Things went a little sideways with Swansea earning a brace before half-time.
Bad mistake by Xhaka throws Swans a life line. 2-1
— Arsenal News ⚽️ (@__arsenalnews_) October 15, 2016
HT: 2-1
It was almost the perfect half until Xhaka who was absolutely brilliant, made a big mistake to gift Swansea a way back.
— The Arsenal (@DareToWenger) October 15, 2016
Xhaka gifts Swansea. 2-1
— Arsenal FC (@FFArsenal) October 15, 2016
Arsenal sloppy, Xhaka dispossessed, Gylfi finishes. 2-1.
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) October 15, 2016
However, Mesut Ozil’s birthday goal saw the Gunners rejoice.
Ozil makes it 3-1 for Arsenal against Swansea
[@AFCTerje] #afc pic.twitter.com/tmanoWZVEt
— Arsenal Latest (@ArsenalsNews) October 15, 2016
3-1!!! Mesut Ozil smashes home a volley. Lovely finish!! #AFCvSCFC
— AllArsenal.com (@AllArsenalnews) October 15, 2016
Swansea player quickly realised he’s in the presence of GREATNESS. pic.twitter.com/Hi9dyHIXTi
— Ö10 (@MesutOzilClass) October 15, 2016
My reaction to Mesut Ozil’s volley. #afc pic.twitter.com/dBSQQ4XzBp
— ArsenalCentral (@AFCCentralHQ) October 15, 2016
Massive fan of Özil tapping the Arsenal badge when he scores these days.
— Pádraig 〽️ (@VintageOzil) October 15, 2016
Can watch my son’s goal all season.
What a birthday.#Ozil #AFCvSCFChttps://t.co/h6321Ypuvs— The Inverted Whinger (@InvertdWhinger) October 15, 2016
Peak Arsenal hipster. Someone’s playing “We’ve got Ozil” on a harmonica in Block 6.
— Gingers for Limpar (@Gingers4Limpar) October 15, 2016
Mesut Ozil’s goal good enough to get a second “ooh” when shown on the big screen. Should just about settle it. Arsenal in 2nd gear, really.
— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) October 15, 2016
Unreal mentality by Ozil. On his birthday, it’s him who gifts the Arsenal fans.
— The Ice Man (@BrutalArsenal) October 15, 2016
Özil bows down to Alexis and thanks him for the assist. pic.twitter.com/t6gYUie2Hu
— ArsenalGIF (@ArsenalGIF) October 15, 2016
It all turned haywire when Swansea stood a goal behind once again and Xhaka was sent off.
We had to fight to win. Was Xhaka’s red maybe little bit reckless challenge? Yes, but it was a reckless challenge of outstanding quality.
— Wenger Knows Best (@wengerknowsbest) October 15, 2016
MOTD commentator reaction says it all ‘Xhaka’s going to get a yellow card for that.’
— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) October 15, 2016
Red cards this season
Xhaka 1
Pogba 0And Xhaka only cost £35m.
Bargain.— Arsenal FC (@FFArsenal) October 15, 2016
Xhaka had one terrible moment (give away for a goal), and one cynical moment for which he was overly punished. Otherwise excellent IMO.
— YankeeGunner (@YankeeGunner) October 15, 2016
Just to say I was delighted Xhaka had the brain to bring their player down on the half-way line when there was no threat. We’ve missed that.
— JB™ (@gunnerpunner) October 15, 2016
Xhaka is a nasty little player with a nice face. Love him to bits tho
— Osman (@OsmanZtheGooner) October 15, 2016
Granit Xhaka is going to be some player for us. 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/95MhBnXxsD
— Pablo (@AFCAMDEN) October 15, 2016
Wenger on the Xhaka sending off: “It looked like a dark yellow card, but he got a bright red!” #AFC
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) October 15, 2016
But Gunners earned full 3 points and the fans could finally heave a sigh of relief.
Theo Walcott misses an open goal to secure the result and his hat trick. Full time though. Great three points! #3-2 #AFCvSCFC
— AllArsenal.com (@AllArsenalnews) October 15, 2016
3. Arsenal 3-2 Swansea FT.
4 winners and 4 losers from today’s thriller at the Emirates – https://t.co/118ZnUSST3 pic.twitter.com/nqNV0CTYeh
— Squawka __football (@Squawka) October 15, 2016
Wenger: “I went through all the emotions [today]. We were 2-0 up, from nowhere 2-1, then 3-1 up, then 3-2 & suddenly down to ten men.” #afc pic.twitter.com/PCzu0v7XDn
— Arsenal Relevant (@ArsenalRelevant) October 15, 2016
Arsenal win 3-2. What a crazy game.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) October 15, 2016
4️⃣️ more minutes…#AFCvSCFC 🔴3-2⚪ (90) pic.twitter.com/g5n3rHOe9f
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 15, 2016
6️⃣ Premier League wins in a row for @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/wXhh7urKR5
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 15, 2016
Tottenham are unbeaten so far this season. However they’re still below Arsenal in the Premier League. pic.twitter.com/tqQJMexZN3
— TheSPORTbible (@TSBible) October 15, 2016
Happy Saturday. Arsenal 3 pts and my normal beverage 😋👍🍻 pic.twitter.com/JS0gOJfweX
— Ray Parlour (@RealRomfordPele) October 15, 2016
History boys@Arsenal have become the 2nd team in #PL history to win 1,000+ pts at home (1,002). @Man Utd have won 1,103 #PL pts at home pic.twitter.com/P87WLqMgej
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 15, 2016
Ain’t nobody, like @6_LKOSCIELNY#AFCvSCFC pic.twitter.com/RacNrzjhn4
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 15, 2016
Arsenal keep winning, even when they make things extraordinarily hard on themselves. pic.twitter.com/68svnum5yj
— Arsenal (@tomgunner14) October 15, 2016
And of course the players couldn’t hold back sharing their joy either.
🔙🔛🔝 We continue our winning streak 💪🏽⚽💥 … it was a hard fight until the very end! #AFCvSCFC #Gunners @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/jprzgiZezc
— Shkodran Mustafi (@MustafiOfficial) October 15, 2016
Good 3 points in the end. Now onto the champions league on Wednesday 🙌🏽 #COYG pic.twitter.com/BB33HMDzt9
— Alex Ox-Chamberlain (@Alex_OxChambo) October 15, 2016
#coyg #arsenal pic.twitter.com/ma6vfhBvah
— Theo Walcott (@theowalcott) October 15, 2016
Not an easy match today. But level on points with @premierleague P1 and our sixth win in a row. 👍🔥⚽ #AFCvSCFC #COYG #Gunners @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/yfy37l8MPv
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 15, 2016
Finally after 5 games playing against swansea the 3 points stay at home. Tough game. #arsenal #coyg https://t.co/hvmzLfxJIp
— nacho monreal (@_nachomonreal) October 15, 2016
Come on you gunners.keep going don’t stop @Arsenal #COYG @coyg
— Kanu Nwankwo (@papilokanu) October 15, 2016