Wolves welcome Premier League leaders, Arsenal to Molineux in Saturday Night Football.
If Bournemouth and Southampton both lose elsewhere, victory would see Wolves climb out of the relegation zone.
Arsenal meanwhile could return to the summit with a win if Manchester City win in the lunchtime kick-off, otherwise Mikel Arteta’s Gunners could extend their lead heading into the mid-season break with victory.
Team News
Nelson Semedo is set to return for Wolves after he missed their Carabao Cup victory over Leeds in midweek due to suspension.
Johnny Castro Otto (muscle) and Matheus Nunes (shoulder) are doubts.
Diego Costa (suspension), Chiquinho, Sasa Kalajdzic (both knee), Pedro Neto (ankle) and Raul Jimenez (groin/adductor) remain ruled out.
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns to report following their shock Carabao Cup exit to Brighton in midweek.
Takehiro Tomiyasu (muscle) and Emile Smith Rowe (groin) both remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Wolves have won two of their last five league meetings against Arsenal (W2, L3).
- Arsenal have won six of eight Premier League visits to Wolves (W6, L2).
- The team playing away scored first in both meetings last season between Wolves and Arsenal.
- Coming into this matchweek, no team has had more players red carded than Wolves (3), with two of their three red cards shown in their last two matches to Diego Costa and Nelsom Semedo respectively.
- Bukayo Saka has been booked in each of Arsenal’s last two away matches in the Premier League.
Prediction
Wolves had to weather Leeds’ attacking quality which they did well amidst fantastic saves from Matija Sarkic, whilst excellent finishing from Boubacar Traore proved the difference in the end in a positive step forward for this team ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s arrival as manager.
Having rung the changes in midweek against Brighton, Mikel Arteta will surely be disappointed at how his Gunners were outclassed in terms of intensity and finishing which both proved crucial factors in their loss, so I expect his regulars to turn up and deliver an immediate response here.
Wolves’ immeediate challenge therefore will be to replicate their midweek performance and look to frustrate Arsenal as much as they can, otherwise I can see a comfortable away win brewing if the Gunners are allowed to dominate this game.
Prediction: Wolves 0-2 Arsenal
Result: Wolves 0-2 Arsenal
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