Wolves v Arsenal: Premier League odds, form, team news & verdict

Premier League: Wolves v Arsenal

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday

Match odds

13-10 Wolves, 12-5 Arsenal, 12-5 draw

Form

Sixth-placed Wolves have got themselves right in the mix for a top-four spot, sitting just two points behind Chelsea, and Nuno Espirito Santo's side have their sights firmly set on the prize of Champions League qualification next term.

Premier League leaders Liverpool are the only side to have won at Molineux in 2020 and since then Wolves have gone unbeaten in eight top-flight encounters, keeping an impressive seven clean sheets.

The oonly team to score against them were Tottenham - Wanderers still won 3-2 away - and Wolves will truly believe the Champions League is in sight should they take down another north London outfit.

Arsenal have calmed the disquiet around the club with three wins on the spin, claiming maximum points in the Premier League against Southampton and Norwich and progressing to the semi-finals of the FA Cup at the expense of Sheffield United.

Team news

Nuno has a fully-fit squad available, but opposite number Mikel Arteta is still without a few senior players.

First-choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Brazilian pair Gabriel Martinelli and Pablo Mari are sidelined alongside Calum Chambers.

There are doubts over Mesut Ozil and Lucas Torreira, while Matteo Guendouzi has been dropped from the squad.

The tactical battle

It's likely to be a game between two back threes. Wolves always play with three centre-backs and Arteta's switch to the same formation has coincided with an upturn in the Gunners' future.

The interesting aspect will be whether Arteta persists with his three forwards and just Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka in central midfield, a duo who could be outnumbered if Nuno sticks with Leander Dendoncker, Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

Dendoncker grabbed the winner at Aston Villa last week, but overall his selection would be seen as a safety-first approach from Nuno. It would also presumably leave dribbling demon Adama Traore on the bench with the option of chucking on the ultimate super-sub potential gamechanger against tired legs.

Verdict

Wolves have shown themselves to be better than Arsenal this season and odds-against quotes at Molineux seem fair.

Nuno has build a rock-solid defensive wall that is unlikely to make the same kind of errors which gifted Arsenal goals in the wins over Southampton and Norwich, while the wily Raul Jimenez could also enjoy his time against a shaky Gunners rearguard.

Only Manchester City and Liverpool have scored in more games than Wolves have this season and one goal could be enough again. Wolves to win 1-0.

Key stats

• Wolves have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight league matches
• Three of the last five meetings between the teams have finished 1-1
• Arsenal have not won away to a top-half team this season
• The Gunners have received the most yellow cards (68) and the joint-most red cards (four) in this season's Premier League.