Wolves face Arsenal in the English Premier League on Saturday night. The hosts are on a four-match winless run and face a Gunners side without a win in three. Mikel Arteta’s side can return to the top of the table with three points in this one.
Wolves Form
Wolves had a great run from the turn of the year until the end of September, losing just twice in 13 fixtures. That streak included a 4-2 league win at Chelsea and a 2-1 league win at Tottenham. Their last eight fixtures have seen just one win and a very disappointing FA Cup exit. After a 3-0 loss at Newcastle, they beat Fulham 2-1 at home.
A shock 3-2 home loss to Coventry in the FA Cup saw goals leaked in the 7th and 10th minutes of added time. They’ve since gone four league matches without a win. A 2-0 loss at Aston Villa preceded a 1-1 draw at Burnley. A late 2-1 home defeat to West Ham was followed by a 2-2 draw last time out at Nottingham Forest.
Wolves Team News
Pedro Neto remains out injured for Wolves. Rayan Ait-Nouri missed the last match but could return to play some part in this one. Hee-Chan Hwang is fit after injury and may start in attack.
Both Nelson Semedo at right wingback and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in midfield are doubtful. Craig Dawson is due to go for surgery on an injury and may miss out.
Wolves Motivation
Gary O’Neil’s side are very dangerous on the counter attack. They may sit off Arsenal and look to play on the break.
A point would be a great result here, but they will initially try to play for the win.
Arsenal Form
Arsenal are winless in three matches, with the players looking tired and overworked. A 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich saw them allow 1.92 xG. A 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa saw a very flat second-half display. In midweek, the Gunners lost 1-0 away to Bayern Munich with just two shots attempted in the second half.
Before this slump, it was ten wins in 11 league matches. A rock-solid 0-0 draw at Man City preceded a 2-0 home win over Luton. The Gunners went to Brighton and won 3-0 with 3.39 xG produced. The recent dip in results means they’re out of Europe and the title race is out of their hands.
Arsenal Team News
Jurrien Timber is Arsenal’s only injured player. Martin Odegaard was doubtful in midweek and could be a question mark for this match too.
Mikel Arteta’s side looks tired, and he may need to bring in some fresh legs. Jakub Kiwior is an option at the back and Thomas Partey could replace Jorginho in midfield. Leandro Trossard looks a likely starter down the left.
Arsenal Motivation
The Gunners looked stale and exhausted in Munich. They need to find energy and motivation to eke out a win in this match.
A victory sees them go top of the table. A draw will feel like another defeat, and they won’t settle for a point.
Key Stats
Wolves are winless in 4 league matches (LDLD)
Wolves have lost 3 of their last 5 home EPL fixtures
Wolves have failed to score in 5 of their last 7 home matches vs Arsenal
Arsenal have won 10 of their last 12 league matches (38 goals scored)
Arsenal have won their last 5 matches vs Wolves in all competitions.
Verdict
This match could end in any of the three results. It’s not easy to predict the goals market either. If Arsenal win, it may be to zero. A draw is also a feasible result in this one.
Best Bet: Arsenal win to zero at 2.35
Alternate/Value Bet: Draw at 5.00
Goalscorer Tip: Leandro Trossard anytime goalscorer at 2.50