Arsenal Take On Wolverhampton Wanderers in Crucial English Top Division Encounter

Focus shifts for a fascinating top-flight contest as league leaders Arsenal welcome struggling Wolves to the Emirates Stadium.

Starting Lineups

Arsenal have made three changes following the team that endured a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend. William Saliba, Viktor Gyökeres and the Brazilian winger all start in the starting eleven. The captain and the Spanish midfielder are named on the substitutes' bench, while Riccardo Calafiori is absent. The centre-back returns after missing a run of games due to injury.

The visitors also have made three changes to their starting XI following being heavily defeated 4-1 at Molineux by Manchester United on Monday evening. The experienced full-back, the Brazilian midfielder and the South Korean forward come in. Ki-Jana Hoever and Arias are on the substitutes, while Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde is omitted altogether.

The Teams in Full

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Hincapie, Timber, Eze, Zubimendi, Rice, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Bench: 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.
Bench: Tchatchoua, Mane, Lopez, Hoever, Chirewa, Arokodare, Arias, Santiago Bueno, Jose Sa.

Referee: Robert Jones
VAR Official: John Brooks

Match Context

Welcome! Because, look at this …

The table paints a striking story. Arsenal sit comfortably at the top of the Premier League, while their opponents prop up the league.

… yet while this will be the 42nd time the Premier League leaders have played the team propping up the entire table – winning 30 victories from 41, with seven draws – who are behind two of the four all-time upsets? Why, Wolves, that’s who! Therefore, although Mikel Arteta will undoubtedly be expecting another victory, the Wolves boss must know that long shots occasionally succeed, and you never know. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!

^{(The other two bottom-beats-top wins in the modern top-flight era are Oldham Athletic's 1-0 win over United in March 1993, and Tottenham Hotspur – admittedly, a surprising one - beating Liverpool in November 2008.)}