Wolves v Arsenal predictions: Gunners can guarantee Christmas number one status

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Wolves v Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 7.45pm Saturday

Best bet

Arsenal -1 on Asian handicap
2pts 24-25 bet365

Team news

Wolves
Chiquinho, Sasa Kalajdzic, Raul Jimenez and Pedro Neto are injured while Diego Costa is suspended. Matheus Nunes and Jonny Castro Otto are doubts and Nelson Semedo returns from a ban.

Arsenal
Takehiro Tomiyasu and Emile Smith Rowe are ruled out.

Match preview

Arsenal bowed out of the EFL Cup with a 3-1 loss at home to Brighton on Wednesday but they have their eyes on a much bigger prize and and can make sure of at least another six weeks at the Premier League summit by defeating Wolves at Molineux.

Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta made ten changes for the midweek match against the Seagulls and admitted there was a drop in quality in the defensive and attacking thirds.

Arteta has been fortunate on the injury front and may have to think about bolstering his squad in January if his team are to stay the course in the title race.

However, he has all of his main men available for the weekend and will be tempted revert to the 11 who started last Sunday's impressive 1-0 victory at Chelsea.

Arsenal success at Stamford Bridge was a statement result which showed that they are becoming much more comfortable with trips to fellow big-six clubs.

Their visit to second-bottom Wolves looks nowhere near as demanding and, as long as standards are maintained, it should be a fairly routine success.

It was not so long ago that Wolves were jostling for places towards the top of the division.

When they travelled to Arsenal for last season's February fixture they were seventh in the table and sat just six points below fourth-placed Manchester United, who had played two games more.

However, dreams of Champions League qualification were dashed by a run of nine losses in 14 games at the end of the season and Wolves have never quite recovered.

Bruno Lage was sacked after a 2-0 loss at West Ham in early October but Wolves have continued to struggle and are pinning their hopes for a revival on former Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui, who formally assumes his duties at the start of next week.

Caretaker-manager Steve Davis has done his best to steady the ship but the task has been more difficult by injuries and suspensions.

Davis has been working without a recognised centre-forward since Diego Costa's moment of madness in the 1-1 draw at Brentford and his defence were guilty of basic errors during last Saturday's 3-2 loss at home to Brighton.

Wolves' ongoing struggles in both boxes are the main reasons for their presence in the drop zone and a change of fortunes seems unlikely against the Gunners, who could win by a wide margin.