Wolves vs Arsenal - Premier League: Team news, lineups & prediction
Wolves host Arsenal on Saturday night for the latest iteration of what is becoming a spiky Premier League rivalry.
Arsenal defeated Wolves home and away in two frosty encounters separated by just 14 days in February. Ruben Neves infamously chastised the Gunners for over-celebrating a narrow 1-0 victory with 10 men at Molineux. Naturally, Arsenal milked their 95th-minute winner in the reverse fixture two weeks later.
Here's everything you need to know about the last match in charge for Wolves' interim manager Steve Davis, with Julen Lopetegui waiting in the wings (and stand).
Where are Wolves vs Arsenal playing?
- Location: Wolverhampton, England
- Stadium: Molineux
- Date: Saturday 12 November
- Kick-off Time: 19:45 GMT / 14:45 ET / 11:45 PT
- VAR: Mike Dean
- Referee: Stuart Attwell
Wolves vs Arsenal H2H Results (Last Five Games)
Wolves: 2 Wins
Arsenal: 3 Wins
Draws: 0
Current Form (Last Five Games)
Wolves: LLDLW
Arsenal: LWWWL
Wolves team news
Jonny Castro Otto was forced off in the closing stages of Wolves' Carabao Cup victory over Leeds in midweek with a muscular problem. Nelson Semedo can come in at right-back after serving his red card suspension during the cup clash but Diego Costa won't be able to renew his rivalry with Arsenal as he continues to serve a ban.
Matheus Nunes has missed the last two matches with a shoulder injury, leaving his involvement this weekend mired in uncertainty.
The futures of long-term absentees Pedro Neto, Sasa Kalajdzic and Chiquinho are more concrete (and negative). Raul Jimenez has returned to individual training but is unlikely to feature for his club, even though he continues to foster hopes of joining up with the Mexico national team this month.
Wolves predicted lineup vs Arsenal
Wolves Starting 11 (4-3-3): Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno; B Traore, Neves, Moutinho; Guedes, Hwang, Podence.
Bench: Sarkic, Ait Nouri, Mosquera, Ronan, A Traore, Hodge, Fraser, Griffiths, Nunes.
Arsenal team news
Aside from Emile Smith Rowe, who has been recovering from groin surgery since September, Arsenal's chief injury absentee is Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The versatile fullback suffered a hamstring problem in last week's Europa League win over FC Zurich and is unlikely to feature at Molineux. However, Tomiyasu is part of Japan's squad for the upcoming World Cup, which suggests the injury isn't severe.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Wolves
Arsenal Starting 11 (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Bench: Turner, Tierney, Nketiah, Holding, Soares, Vieira, Sambi, Nelson, Elneny.
Wolves vs Arsenal score prediction
While a heavily rotated Arsenal side fell to a cup defeat against Brighton in midweek, Wolves earned only their second victory since September.
Although, Boubacar Traore's winner caught Davis by surprise. "I didn't expect that," he admitted, "he does practice shooting, they tend to go everywhere but the goal."
It would also be a shock if Traore - or any other Wolves player - is responsible for a winning goal this weekend.
With their considerably stronger top side expected to line up at Molineux, Arsenal should sign off a sensational start to the campaign with a victory that would guarantee their place atop the Premier League table this winter.
Prediction: Wolves 0-2 Arsenal