Arsenal Face Wolverhampton Wanderers in Crucial Top-Flight Fixture
Focus shifts for a fascinating top-flight contest as front-runners the Gunners entertain struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers to the their home ground.
Confirmed Sides
Mikel Arteta's side have made a trio of alterations following the XI that endured a narrow loss at Villa Park in their previous outing. William Saliba, the Swedish striker and the Brazilian winger all come into the starting eleven. The captain and Mikel Merino are named on the bench, while Riccardo Calafiori is absent. The centre-back is back after missing five matches through injury.
Wolves also have made three adjustments to their lineup following being heavily defeated 4-1 at home by Manchester United on Monday evening. The experienced full-back, the Brazilian midfielder and the South Korean forward start. Ki-Jana Hoever and Jhon Arias drop to the substitutes, while Bellegarde is not in the squad altogether.
Starting Elevens
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Eze, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Norgaard, Trossard, Madueke, Nwaneri, Merino, Lewis-Skelly.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Johnstone, Mosquera, Agbadou, Toti Gomes, Doherty, Joao Gomes, Andre Trindade, Krejci, Wolfe, Larsen, Hwang.
Substitutes: Tchatchoua, Mane, Lopez, Hoever, Chirewa, Arokodare, Arias, Santiago Bueno, Jose Sa.
Match Official: Robert Jones
Video Assistant Referee: John Brooks
Match Context
Welcome! And I mean, c’mon …
The table tells a clear story. Arsenal sit comfortably at the pinnacle of the Premier League, while their opponents prop up the division.
… however, even though this will be the 42nd time the Premier League leaders have played the team propping up the division – winning 30 victories from 41, with seven tied games – who are behind two of the four all-time upsets? Indeed, Wolverhampton Wanderers, of course! Therefore, although Mikel Arteta will surely be anticipating another victory, the Wolves boss must know that underdogs occasionally come off, and you never know. The start is at 8 o'clock in the evening GMT. The action is imminent!
(The remaining bottom-beats-top victories in the Premier League era are Oldham’s 1-0 win over United in March 1993, and Spurs – admittedly, this one sounds a bit weird - beating Liverpool in November 2008.)