Wolves striker Raul Jimenez’s classy response to bizarre Arsenal boos after late defeat

Arteta on Arsenal's top four ambitions after Wolves win

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Wolves frontman Raul Jimenez showed his class by applauding the Arsenal fans as they booed him off the pitch at the Emirates Stadium after his side’s agonising 2-1 Premier League defeat. The Mexican was making an emotional return to the ground that evokes bad memories after last season’s horrific clash of heads that left him fearing for his life.

Jimenez, who did not train with Wolves for six months following the incident, was told by doctors that it was “a miracle” he survived.

The striker was left stricken on the turf following the aerial challenge with David Luiz and he received oxygen on the pitch before being taken to hospital.

But thankfully, Jimenez is now back to doing what he loves and does best – scoring goals.

While that was not the case last night, the centre-forward still played his part in a generally sturdy performance from Wolves, who were on course for victory until Nicolas Pepe’s 81st-minute equaliser.

Alexandre Lacazette then broke the visitors’ hearts in the dying embers to snatch all three points for Arsenal – a result that could prove decisive in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

Jimenez had been booked late in the second half after a strange mix-up in regards to Bruno Lage’s substitutions.

Referee Martin Atkinson and the home crowd were of the impression that Wolves and Jimenez were time-wasting.

Lage has since insisted that his staff and the fourth official simply got the numbers on the board wrong but that did not stop Arsenal supporters from booing Jimenez off the field.

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According to The Athletic, the Wolves striker ‘applauded them anyway’ in response as he left the pitch.

Despite the devastating defeat, Jimenez even had time to take selfies with some Mexican fans that had travelled to watch him play.

The bizarre boos seemed somewhat unnecessary given the events at the Emirates last season.

Ahead of the match, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted the ordeal shook him to his very core.

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“Straight away you see the reaction, the anxiety that suddenly is in the team doctors and everybody involved trying to assess what was happening, it was frightening,” he said.

“Thank god it ended the right way, but it looked really, really bad.”

Wolves defender Max Kilman recently praised the determination and resilience of his team-mate during his road to recovery.

“It definitely took some time to process,” Kilman told The Mail. “It was a very traumatising experience. Some of the players were really close to it when it happened and it was very tough.

“We had to finish the game and afterwards we just wanted to know Raul was OK. Luckily we got a message from him after the game to say he had woken up. It is difficult but you just have to keep going. It has been a long process but we are so happy he is healthy and he can do what he is good at.”

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