Credit: Arsenal.com
Wolves will host Arsenal at the Molineux in this crucial game in the title race as the curtains of the 2023/24 season are beginning to wind down. Wolves, who have been decent in their rights, will be hoping to cause a major scalp just as they have done in some games this season, while the Gunners will be keen to see things over the line to have a chance against fellow title rivals in Manchester City and Liverpool.
Wolves made some personnel changes over the summer as they looked to meet the needs of their manager Julien Lopetegui. However, the Spaniard left the side citing a lack of ambition which led to the appointment of Gary O’Neil as the club’s new manager.
In the transfer window, they brought in Brazilian center-forward Matheus Cunha from Atletico Madrid, Jean-Ricner Bellagarde from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, Santiago Bueno from Girona, Boubacar Traore from FC Metz and Enso Gonzalez from Libertad. Matt Doherty and goalkeeper Tom King joined from Atletico Madrid and Northampton on free transfers while Tommy Doyle transferred from Manchester City on loan.
Summer departures from the Wolves ranks include Matheus Nunes who sealed a move to reigning champions Manchester City, Ruben Never to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Nathan Collins to Brentford, English center-back Conor Coady to Leicester City, Raul Jimenez to Fulham, Ryan Giles to Luton Town and Hayao Kawabe to Belgian top-flight team Standard Liege. Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes sealed loan moves away to Olympiacos and Benfica respectively while the likes of Diego Costa, Joao Mutinho, and Adama Traore left for Botofago, SC Braga, and Fulham respectively on free transfers.
Wolverhampton Wanderers made a disappointing start to the season and that saw them lose four of their first five Premier League matches. Wolverhampton Wanderers must have felt unlucky after a narrow 1-0 loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford in their season opener as they probably deserved more from that game with the way they played. Brighton and Hove Albion added insult to their injury as they inflicted a 4-1 thrashing on Wolves at the Molineux before a trip to Goodison Park saw Wolverhampton Wanderers triumph with a hard-fought 1-0 win. Their joys were short however with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Crystal Palace and Liverpool respectively bringing O’Neil’s men back down to earth.
However, a string of excellent results helped them finish 2023 on a high as they defeated Chelsea at home, Brentford away from home, and Everton at the Molineux. In addition, their first game of 2024 was not bad either as they held Brighton to a goalless draw at the AMEX Stadium.
On the other hand, Arsenal had a title challenge last season before falling at the final hurdle to Manchester City. After that strong performance, the Gunners experienced a flurry of activity during the summer transfer window, witnessing significant player departures and notable acquisitions. Long-time servant Granit Xhaka departed for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga, while Folarin Balogun moved to Monaco, goalkeeper Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest, Pablo Mari to Monza in the Italian Serie A, and Rob Holding to Crystal Palace.
Several players also went out on loan, with Kieran Tierney joining Real Sociedad, Nuno Tavares to Nottingham Forest, and promising winger Marquinhos to FC Nantes. Nicolas Pépé, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Sambi Lonkonga left on free transfers, finding new homes at Trabzonspor, Olympique Lyon, and Luton Town, respectively. On the recruitment front, Arsenal secured prominent signings, including Declan Rice from West Ham, Kai Havertz from London rivals Chelsea, Jurrien Timber from Ajax Amsterdam, and the current starting goalkeeper David Raya on loan from Brentford.
On the pitch, Arsenal had a fine start to the season beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 before going ahead to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park with a strong defensive display. That result was followed by a 2-2 draw with Fulham at home then a run of back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Everton before a 4-0 win in the UEFA Champions League. Upon return to the Premier League, Arsenal drew 2-2 with Spurs before another run of three consecutive Premier League wins over Brentford, Bournemouth, and champions Manchester City.
The first defeat of the season came in round 11 against Newcastle in controversial fashion. Having put that defeat behind them, the Gunners embarked on a run of six consecutive wins in all competitions before a second loss of the season to Aston Villa. Arteta’s men ended the year with two consecutive losses against West Ham United and Fulham in the London derbies. As of the time of writing, they sit third, six points adrift of leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.
On the balance of things, it is expected to be an exciting match between two sides who play contrasting styles of football in the Premier League.
Match tickets
The epic match at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton kicks off on Saturday 20th April 2024, at 3 PM UK time.
The magnificent 31,800-capacity stadium is the place to be for this clash between the two different sides.
Getting tickets for the Wolves vs Arsenal tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Wolverhampton Wanderers will also be hoping for a change in fortunes as they have continued to struggle with inconsistency despite having the bulk of their squad members available for selection.
Wolves: Sá, Gomes, Dawson, Kilman, Semedo, Lemina, Gomes, Bueno, Sarabia, Hwang, Cunha
Mikel Arteta’s side have had some serious injury problems throughout the season. Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has struggled with a thigh problem all season. While Fabio Vieira, who was beginning to settle into the team, has had his time in the physio’s room as well. Meanwhile, Dutch defender Jurrien Timber will likely miss out on the game after sustaining an ACL in the first game of the season. In terms of approach, Arteta will likely stick with his regulars for this crucial match with the likes of Saliba, Saka, Rice, and Odegaard leading.
Arsenal: David Raya; Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel, William Saliba, Ben White; Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard; Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka.
Prediction
Wolves have caused some upsets in the Premier League this season. Playing at the Molineux gives them the backing to trouble a lot of top teams and they might just do that in this particular game.
Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-1 and have a decent record against Wolves. Considering the importance of this fixture, this particular meeting could give something spectacular.
Wolves 1-2 Arsenal
Gunners Town is a premier Arsenal blogging platform for passionate and knowledgeable Gooners. Established in 2012, the site has garnered over 5 million views.
No comments yet.