The Gunners Take On Wolves in Key English Top Division Fixture
The stage is set for a intriguing Premier League matchup as front-runners Arsenal welcome bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers to the their home ground.
Starting Lineups
Arsenal have made a trio of alterations following the XI that endured a narrow loss at Aston Villa in their previous outing. William Saliba, the Swedish striker and Gabriel Martinelli all start in the lineup. The captain and the Spanish midfielder drop to the substitutes' bench, while Riccardo Calafiori is absent. Saliba returns after missing five matches through injury.
The visitors also have made three changes to their lineup after being heavily defeated 4-1 at Molineux by Manchester United last time out. Matt Doherty, the Brazilian midfielder and the South Korean forward come in. Ki-Jana Hoever and Jhon Arias are on the bench, while Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde misses out altogether.
Confirmed Lineups
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Eze, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Substitutes: 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.
Subs: Tchatchoua, Mane, Lopez, Hoever, Chirewa, Arokodare, Arias, Santiago Bueno, Jose Sa.
Referee: Robert Jones
VAR Official: John Brooks
Preamble
Welcome! And I mean, look at this …
The table reveals a stark contrast. The hosts sit proudly at the pinnacle of the Premier League, while their opponents occupy the bottom of the league.
… yet while this will be the 42nd occasion the Premier League leaders have taken on the side at the foot of the entire table – winning 30 out of 41, with seven draws – which team is responsible for two of the four historical shocks? Indeed, Wolverhampton Wanderers, of course! So while the Arsenal manager will surely be expecting another three points, Rob Edwards must know that underdogs occasionally find the target, and anything is possible. The start is at 8 o'clock in the evening GMT. It’s on!
(The remaining bottom-beats-top wins in the modern top-flight era are Oldham’s 1-0 win over United in March 1993, and Tottenham Hotspur – admittedly, this one sounds a bit weird - beating Liverpool in November 2008.)
