Arsenal have found themselves back on track following a comfortable win over Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League. Focus returns to domestic action this weekend with the first away trip for six games after five successive home clashes.
Wolves are the opponent who have with them plenty of transfer narrative as Matheus Cunha faces a side with a known interest in him. The Brazilian’s future remains up in the air, with no resolution in sight but he will be a danger for the Gunners to deal with come Saturday afternoon.
Neto may finally get a chance to play for the club next week against Girona. However, David Raya will be almost certain to start this Saturday and will need to be on it to stop Cunha and company.
In defence, the Thomas Partey at right-back scenario even in the expected absence of William Saliba must end. Whether or not it makes any sense with how little in terms of options Mikel Arteta has, the record speaks for itself.
Jurrien Timber is joined again by Jakub Kiwior on the right who, despite an error which was nearly very costly, handled other situations well and recovered. On the left, Gabriel Magalhaes is joined by Kieran Tierney – Oleksandr Zinchenko is being linked with a move away while both Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly remain fitness concerns.
Partey therefore returns to the defensive midfield area with Declan Rice continuing to develop in the No.8 position. His form has reached the height we saw last season at times and that will be massive for Arsenal in the second half of the campaign.
Martin Odegaard will have got such a boost by scoring in midweek. The skipper has not been the regular scorer that the side would have hoped him to be, but perhaps this is where things change.
Up top, Kai Havertz will be hoping to continue his scoring form despite the links to new strikers. Gabriel Martinelli has also been excellent too and should start but Ethan Nwaneri who came on in Europe showcased what the side has missed in his absence and he too should start.
Changed Arsenal XI vs Wolves: Raya; Timber, Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Nwaneri, Havertz, Martinelli.
