The Gunners Take On Wolverhampton Wanderers in Pivotal Top-Flight Clash

The stage is set for a intriguing Premier League matchup as front-runners the Gunners welcome struggling Wolves to the their home ground.

Confirmed Sides

Mikel Arteta's side have opted for a trio of alterations following the XI that suffered a 2-1 defeat at Villa Park last weekend. The French defender, the Swedish striker and Gabriel Martinelli all start in the starting eleven. Martin Ødegaard and the Spanish midfielder drop to the substitutes' bench, while Riccardo Calafiori is absent. Saliba is back after missing a run of games due to injury.

Wolves also have made three changes to their lineup following being heavily defeated 4-1 at Molineux by United on Monday evening. The experienced full-back, the Brazilian midfielder and Hwang Hee-chan are recalled. Ki-Jana Hoever and Jhon Arias are on the substitutes, while Bellegarde is not in the squad altogether.

The Teams in Full

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Eze, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Bench: 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.
Bench: Tchatchoua, Mane, Lopez, Hoever, Chirewa, Arokodare, Arias, Santiago Bueno, Jose Sa.

Referee: Robert Jones
VAR Official: John Brooks

Preamble

Good evening! And I mean, let's be honest …

The table tells a striking picture. Arsenal sit proudly at the summit 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 taken on the team at the foot of the division – with 30 victories from 41, with seven draws – which team is behind two of the four historical shocks? Why, Wolverhampton Wanderers, that’s who! So while Mikel Arteta will undoubtedly be anticipating another victory, Rob Edwards must know that underdogs sometimes find the target, and anything is possible. Kick-off 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 Manchester United in March 1993, and Spurs – admittedly, a surprising one - beating Liverpool in November 2008.)

Paul Daniels MD
Paul Daniels MD

Elara is a seasoned sports analyst with over a decade of experience in betting strategies and market trends.