Why Wolves Fans Targeted Madueke With Boos in Arsenal Clash

Story: Written by Myra February 19,2026
Noni Madueke endured a hostile atmosphere throughout Arsenal’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with home supporters jeering him every time he touched the ball on Tuesday night.
The animosity had little to do with on-field incidents. Instead, it stemmed from a social media post made back in August 2024, when Madueke was still a Chelsea player. On the eve of a match at Molineux, he posted — and quickly deleted — an Instagram message tagged in Wolverhampton that insulted the city. Despite later apologising publicly, the episode has clearly not been forgotten by the Wolves faithful.
On the pitch, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta deployed Madueke on the right wing, shifting Bukayo Saka into a central attacking role behind striker Viktor Gyokeres. The tweak paid off early, as Saka converted a cross from Declan Rice to give Arsenal a fifth-minute lead.
Yet the goal did nothing to quiet the home crowd’s focus on Madueke, whose earlier apology — delivered after scoring a hat-trick against Wolves with Chelsea — did little to heal the rift. The winger had acknowledged then that he expected a frosty reception whenever he returned to Molineux.
While Madueke absorbed the boos, attention soon shifted back to Wolves’ troubling campaign. Under Rob Edwards, the club have struggled badly, sitting bottom of the table with just nine points. With only one win all season and an 18-point gap to safety with 11 matches remaining, frustration among supporters has been mounting.
In the end, the jeers aimed at Madueke reflected lingering resentment, but also the wider despair surrounding a difficult season for Wolves.