Arsenal vs Wolves Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League
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Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are beginning what they will hope is a third successive Premier League title race as the Gunners take on Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium, reeling from the loss of some key players this summer.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 17th August, 2024 - UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – N/A / US – USA Network & Universo
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – N/A / US – Fubo, Sling Blue & DirecTV Stream
ARSENAL PREVIEW: GUNNERS TO OUT GUN THE OPPOSITION
In each of the last two seasons, Arsenal have hit the middle of April and hit a stumbling block that has eventually cost them the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are back again and will be hoping that they have stood still whilst Manchester City have ever so slightly gone backwards.
Arsenal became the first team in Premier League history to record a fourth successive points tally improvement last season and there will be a belief that if they do that for a fifth season in a row then 90+ points may well topple a Manchester City side that have won six of the last seven Premier League titles.
WOLVES PREVIEW: GARY O’NEIL RECOUPING
Wolverhampton Wanderers went into the 2023/24 season in a bit of crisis with the dramatic and late resignation of Julen Lopetegui. Gary O’Neil came in and almost immediately got Wolves playing good football, comfortably surviving and even flirting with a tilt at the UEFA qualifying spots at on stage.
Wolves have had to make further sales during this summer transfer window, though, with Max Kilman leaving for West Ham United and Pedro Neto moving to Chelsea, too. They have brought in some interesting players during the summer but it does have to be said that, right now, on paper, their squad is weaker than last season.
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS: TOMIYASU & TIERNEY UNAVAILABLE
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that he has a couple of defensive injury issues for this weekend with both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney unavailable for the Gunners but Jurrien Timber could play, despite missing a couple of recent pre-season friendlies due to injury.
Attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira is also a doubt but the key issue for Mikel Arteta to solve will be to determine whether to play Kai Havertz up-front or in midfield with Gabriel Jesus leading the line instead.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): David Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli
UNAVAILABLE: Tomiyasu (Injured), Tierney (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Vieira (Injured)
WOLVES TEAM NEWS: CUNHA AVAILABLE
After missing a fair bit of pre-season, Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Gary O'Neil has confirmed that former Atletico Madrid forward Matheus Cunha will be available for this weekend's opener.
However, Portugal international defender Nelson Semedo will be unavailable for the first three weeks of the season due to suspension. The likes of Mario Lemina, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Daniel Podence have all been passed fit, too.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Sa; Dawson, Bueno, Toti; Doherty, Joao Gomes, Doyle, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Hwang
UNAVAILABLE: Semedo (Suspended), Chiwone (Injured), Enso Gonzalez (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
ARSENAL VS WOLVES PREDICTION
This one is expected to be a fairly one-sided affair with Arsenal finally looking to take the next step and become champions of England for the first time in 2004. They will start fast, as they often do at the Emirates Stadium, and whilst Wolves may well be steady as the season goes on, it would take another masterclass from Gary O’Neil to prevent what could end up being a relatively heavy defeat.
ARSENAL VS WOLVES TIP: ARSENAL TO WIN -1 HANDIC
