English Premier League Preview: Arsenal vs. Wolves

April 20, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be aiming to end their five-game winless run across all competitions when they take on title hopefuls Arsenal at the Molineux in Saturday's late kick-off.

Arsenal claimed a 2-1 win over Wolves at the Emirates earlier this season (2 December), courtesy of early goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. Thus, the Gunners are on a five-game winning streak against Wolves, who will be aiming to claim their first victory over Arsenal since February 2021 - a 2-1 win at the Molineux.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Betting Preview (+800 at Everygame)

Comfortably positioned in mid-table, Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves with little at stake in the Premier League for the remainder of the season. Their distance from European spots and their substantial lead over the relegation zone leaves them in a secure position.

Nonetheless, manager Gary O'Neil aims to see his team finish the campaign on a positive note, particularly considering their recent run of four league matches without a win (two draws, two losses).

This season, Wolves have surpassed expectations, especially considering the upheaval during the summer. However, their primary challenge has been inconsistency.

Under O'Neil's guidance in 2023-24, their longest winning streak has been just three games. Recent struggles at Molineux underscore this inconsistency, with the team losing their last two home matches and conceding two or more goals in each, indicating a potential lapse in focus.

All in all, Wolves are also at risk of losing three home games in a row for the first time since September 2021. They are still struggling to get back on track following the disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Coventry City in the FA Cup quarter-finals last month.

Gary O’Neil revealed that Craig Dawson, Nelson Semedo, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Matheus Cunha are also sidelined for Wolves. However, Rayan Aït-Nouri could only be fit to make the matchday squad, while Hwang Hee-Chan can only manage one half at maximum for now.

The absence of all key figures in attack and the match fitness of Hee-Chan means that teenager Nathan Fraser could lead the line against Arsenal.

Arsenal Betting Preview (-303 at Everygame)

Mikel Arteta's side were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage 3-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich, with Wednesday's 1-0 second-leg defeat in Germany clearly not enough for the North London outfit.

Elimination means the Gunners’ sole focus for the final weeks of the campaign is the Premier League title race, with Saturday’s trip to Wolves next on the agenda.

It remains to be seen how Arsenal will react following their back-to-back defeats over the past week and the heartbreaking turnaround of their campaign.

Indeed, Mikel Arteta's men find themselves at a critical juncture in their campaign, with recent setbacks threatening to derail their form in the business end of the season.

Their quarter-final exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich was preceded by a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in the Premeir League last weekend. The unexpected loss to Unai Emery's club has left Mikel Arteta's team trailing Manchester City by two points at the top of the table.

Still, given Arsenal's impressive away form this season, they remain optimistic about bouncing back as they head to West Midlands. The Gunners boast the highest number of away points in the league this season, having scored 37 goals and conceded just 11 on their travels. Their ability to win in style away from home is well-established.

Furthermore, Arsenal has kept five consecutive clean sheets on the road, matching a club record. These statistics bode well for their upcoming match, particularly considering their recent dominance in head-to-head clashes, having won the last five encounters against their upcoming opponents.

Arsenal's only injury concern lies in defense, with Jurrien Timber still working his way back to full fitness after an ACL injury eight months ago. However, he remains unavailable for selection for this weekend's fixture.

Apart from Timber's physical condition, Mikel Arteta has a full squad at his disposal. While the team's performance at the Allianz Arena wasn't outstanding, there were no glaring disappointments. Nonetheless, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli might find themselves on the bench following underwhelming performances on the wings, though the former remains a pivotal figure and Arteta will hardly dare to bench him unless there isn't a physical issue.

Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard are strong contenders for starting positions, having shown promise as substitutes. Elsewhere, Jakub Kiwior and Thomas Partey are likely to be considered by Arteta, given the quick turnaround from the midweek trip to Germany.

Possible Starting Lineups of Wolves and Arsenal

Wolves: Jose Sa - Santiago Bueno, Toti, Max Kilman - Matt Doherty, Mario Lemina, Joao Gomes, Tommy Doyle, Hugo Bueno - Pablo Sarabia, Nathan Fraser. (3-5-2)

Arsenal: David Raya - Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior - Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard - Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard. (4-3-3)

Spooky Express Betting Prediction

It's going to be really difficult for Arsenal to go again after such a tough eight days, both physically and emotionally. Wolves have proven to be plucky opponents, especially at the Molineux, although they also are in a bit of a rut.

The absence of Portuguese forward Pedro Neto limits Wolves' ability on the counter, and Matheus Cunha's recent setback has provided further trouble up front.

Wolves, however, have scored in all but one of their home games this season, which probably happened against an unexpected opposition when they lost 2-0 to Brentford in February.

Spooky Express Free Play: Both teams to score - Yes +105 at Everygame for 5/10 Units

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