Preview: Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers – stats, team news, line-ups

Arsenal kick off their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a home fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers as they look to finally end their 21-year title drought.

Mikel Arteta’s side have twice come agonisingly close to lifting the coveted trophy despite having led the league for large portions of each campaign, only to be pipped to the post by Manchester City in the past two seasons.

Determined to go one better this time around, the Gunners have bolstered their squad with the permanent signing of goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford and the addition of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

The Gunners have enjoyed a promising pre-season, winning three of their five games (D1, L1), including an impressive 4-1 victory over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Their only defeat came against Premier League rivals Liverpool in Philadelphia, but their overall pre-season performance has instilled confidence in the north London outfit ahead of another potential title challenge.

However, Arsenal know that a strong start is imperative if they are to keep pace with the reigning champions, although they have to navigate a tough start to the season to bolster their chances.

With a daunting clash against Man City looming, they need to secure maximum points against Wolves to kick off the season.

The Emirates faithful will be hoping for a fast start as their team embarks on another thrilling title race. Fans can get Arsenal vs Wolves tickets from Seatsnet.com at unbeatable prices to book their seat in the stands.

Wolves enjoyed a season of relative stability last term, defying expectations after a tumultuous summer that saw manager Julen Lopetegui depart just days before the campaign kicked off.

The appointment of Gary O’Neil proved to be a masterstroke as the former Bournemouth boss steered the club to a comfortable 14th-place finish before signing a new four-year deal at Molineux Stadium.

However, the West Midlands outfit faces a daunting task ahead as they look to build on that success.

The departures of key players Pedro Neto and Max Kilman to Chelsea and West Ham United, respectively, have left a significant void in the squad that they’ll be looking to fill before the transfer window closes.

The club has secured £100 million from those sales, but they’ve only managed to reinvest around a quarter of that sum, raising questions about their ambition in the transfer market.

Wolves have signed Portuguese youngster Rodrigo Gomes from Braga, which represents a promising addition. But it’s clear that the club need further reinforcement if they are to realise their lofty ambitions.

Last season, O’Neil’s side produced some impressive performances, briefly challenging for European qualification before ultimately falling by the wayside in the final two months of the season.

The question now is whether they can maintain that level of consistency without two of their key players.

With a challenging fixture list on the horizon, the Wolves faithful will be hoping for another season of mid-table comfort.

However, given the significant departures and relatively modest transfer business, there is a growing sense of uncertainty surrounding the club.

What do the stats say?

Arsenal

Arsenal’s stranglehold over Wolverhampton Wanderers has tightened further, with the Gunners extending their winning streak against their Midlands rivals to six matches.

This is the second time in the club’s history they’ve achieved such a feat against Wolves (also six in a row from 2003 to 2011).

Arsenal have now scored in an astonishing 33 consecutive matches against Wolves across all competitions, a record-breaking run for both clubs.

The Gunners’ attacking prowess has been a hallmark of their dominance, and Wolves have been unable to find a way to keep a clean sheet against their opponents since 1979.

The north London side’s overall form in 2024 has been nothing short of sensational.

With 16 wins from 18 Premier League games (D1, L1), Arsenal boast a win percentage of 89%, the highest in a single calendar year in their history.

Their attacking potency has been evident, scoring 54 goals at a rate of three goals per game, while their defensive solidity has been equally impressive, conceding just nine times (0.5 per match).

Wolves

Wolves head to the Emirates with a mountain to climb. The Midlands club have a dismal record in North London, winning just once in their last 13 top-flight visits (D4, L8).

That solitary victory came in November 2020 under Nuno Espírito Santo, a distant memory for a Wolves side who have struggled to find consistency in recent times.

The visitors are also in the midst of a concerning slump, having lost five of their last six Premier League matches (W1).

A repeat of this form against an Arsenal side brimming with confidence could prove disastrous. To compound matters, Wolves have a history of poor starts to the season, losing their opening game in each of the last three campaigns.

While they’ve never started a league season with defeats in four seasons in a row in their history, Gary O’Neil’s side will need to defy the odds if they are to leave the Emirates with anything to show for their efforts.

Head-to-head meetings

Since a 2-1 loss to Wolves in February 2021, Arsenal have won all six meetings at an aggregate score of 14-2.

The Gunners emerged 2-1 victors the last time both teams faced off at the Emirates Stadium, with early goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard helping Arteta’s side establish dominance.

A late strike from Matheus Cunha set up a frantic finale, but the Gunners held on to secure all three points. They’ll be hoping to extend their winning streak against the Wanderers this weekend.

Team news & potential line-ups

Arsenal will be sweating on the fitness of Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber ahead of their opening Premier League clash against Wolves.

The Gunners are already without full-backs Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney due to injury, leaving Mikel Arteta with a selection headache.

New signing Calafiori is expected to be on the bench for his Arsenal debut, while teenage sensations Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have impressed during pre-season and could be in contention for a spot in the matchday squad.

Despite the defensive concerns, Arsenal’s attacking options look strong.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz will battle it out for a starting spot in attack, while one of Jorginho or Thomas Partey will partner Declan Rice in the middle of the park.

Wolves are in a relatively healthier position, although Daniel Podence’s calf issue means he is unlikely to feature.

The Portuguese winger, along with Goncalo Guedes, is also available for transfer. Left-back Hugo Bueno has joined Dutch giants Feyenoord on loan.

New signing Jorgen Strand Larsen is set to make his debut in the attack.

Arsenal potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): David Raya; Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Benjamin White; Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard; Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka.

Wolverhampton Wanderers potential starting line-up:

(3-5-2): Jose Sa; Matt Doherty, Toti Gomes, Yerson Mosquera; Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Pablo Sarabia, Mario Lemina, Rayan Ait Nouri; Jorgen Strand Larsen, Hee-Chan Hwang.