Wolves vs Arsenal simulated to get a score prediction for Premier League clash

After dropping points last time out in the Premier League, three points against Wolves could prove vital in Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge later today.

Arsenal gave up a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 against Aston Villa in their last Premier League outing, leaving the Gunners six points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand. Mikel Arteta’s side got back to winning ways in the Champions League midweek as they all but secured their automatic qualification to the knockout stages with a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb, but now all attention reverts back to the Premier League.

Wolves sit just outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference, with Vitor Pereira’s side having lost their last three league games in a row. The last meeting between the two sides ended 2-0 to Arsenal, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka getting on the scoresheet.

 

Arsenal guaranteed to be without six players for Wolves as William Saliba decision ‘confirmed’

Arsenal are unbeaten in the Premier League in their last 12 games, with the Gunners’ last loss coming against Newcastle all the way back in November.

There have been five draws in that period, though, which has resulted in Mikel Arteta’s side dropping too many points as they bid to try and catch league leaders Liverpool. The north Londoners will be hoping to go on a winning run over the next few weeks, starting with the trip to Wolves on Saturday.

Arteta knows it will be no walk in the park. “It will be a really tough match because they are a really well coached team and especially there they are a difficult side to beat,” the Spaniard said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

If Arsenal are to win on Saturday, they will likely have to do it without William Saliba and Myles Lewis-Skelly. The duo have been nursing hamstring and knee injuries, respectively, and while they are close to returning, the Wolves game may come too soon.

Arteta explained: “With Myles there’s nothing serious on the scan so it will be a matter of today having a meeting with the medical staff and a training session and whether it’s too early or not. With Willy it’s the same. I think they’ll definitely be in for next week but this week, let’s see how it goes.”

Ben White is another player who appears to be edging closer to a return. The full-back underwent minor knee surgery in November but could soon return to training. “He hasn’t trained with the team yet but he’s very close to doing that,” Arteta said. “He needs to tick a few boxes and then I think he will be with us pretty soon.”

Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu are Arsenal’s other long-term absentees and are not expected to make their returns any time soon. That means, when looking at the official Arsenal website, the Gunners have 17 senior players available for selection for the game vs Wolves. As per Premier League rules, a club is allowed to name a squad of 20 players for a Premier League match.

Barcelona starlet Dani Rodriguez ruled out for ‘8 to 10 weeks’ with thigh injury

Barcelona have confirmed that young star Dani Rodriguez has suffered an injury setback and will miss the next few months.

Rodriguez has a hamstring problem and has been ruled out for “eight to ten weeks” by the Catalan giants.

The setback is a real blow to a player who has dazzled for Barcelona Atletic this season and has been tipped to break into the first team by boss Albert Sanchez.

Hansi Flick even took a check on Rodriguez and Toni Fernandez at the start of the year as both players were called to train with the first team.

Rodriguez only returned from an injury lay-off at the end of last year, after being forced out for several months with another hamstring injury, but is now facing more time on the sidelines which will be a major source of frustration.

Man Utd get green light to sign Barcelona attacker, with deal nudging Rashford exit ever closer

Barcelona have ‘opened doors’ to an attacker’s exit and a report claims Manchester United are eyeing a late swoop that could also have direct ramifications on Marcus Rashford’s future.

Rashford has authorisation to leave Man Utd this month, with Barcelona understood to be the player’s preferred destination.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is receptive to signing Rashford, though the cash-strapped Catalonians aren’t likely to commit to an obligation to buy in any loan arrangement.

What’s more, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed Barcelona must move a player on before a new signing like Rashford can come in.

“For Barcelona it depends on what happens with Ansu Fati, “stated Romano. “If Fati accepts to leave the club and they find a good solution on the market, Rashford could be an option for Barcelona.”

Centre-back Eric Garcia has since emerged as another player Barcelona could offload to make room for Rashford. Garcia has reportedly been offered to Aston Villa.

However, Man Utd could take matters into their own hands by signing a Barcelona star themselves.

It’s claimed as of right now, Man Utd don’t want any loan agreement for Fati to be a dry loan. The club would rather not develop another club’s star for nothing, especially if said player isn’t going to join Man Utd when the loan ends.

But with GMS reporting Ruben Amorim is increasingly desperate for new additions in the final third to be made, United may bite the bullet and move for Fati.

Barcelona playmaker 100% ruled out of Valencia encounter – report

Barcelona playmaker Dani Olmo suffered yet another muscle injury last week, with the Spaniard getting sidelined with a calf strain after the game against Getafe.

While the club did not mention a specific recovery timeline, it was reported that the 26-year-old would be out for a period of ten days.

As such, the Barcelona summer signing went on to miss the UEFA Champions League clash against SL Benfica earlier this week, which his team won 5-4.

Olmo will not return vs Valencia

Now, Javi Miguel of AS has come forward with an update on Olmo’s situation ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Valencia.

Any hopes of the 26-year-old midfielder recovering early from his fitness problem to become available for the clash against Los Che have been dashed.

As per the update, Olmo did not train with the squad today and is unlikely to do so again tomorrow, on the eve of the match.

As such, the Spanish international is ‘100%’ ruled out of Sunday’s match against Valencia, erasing any sort of chances of an early return for him.

Olmo, as things stand, would likely make his comeback for the UEFA Champions League encounter against Atalanta next week.

However, it would not come as a surprise if Barcelona opt to take it easy and delay his return, given his history of muscle injuries.

Since joining the Blaugrana in the summer, Olmo has played 18 games in all competitions, scoring six and assisting three goals. He has missed seven games due to injury.

Arsenal transfer news LIVE – Benjamin Sesko update as agreement ‘close’ and Matheus Cunha verdict

The end of the January transfer window is fast approaching and Arsenal are yet to add to their squad.

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently second in the Premier League table but the overwhelming feeling is that they could do with several bodies through the day before February 3 if they are to win a first league title in over 20 years.

Arsenal continue to be linked with a move for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, however, a report on Wednesday night claimed talks with the Serie A side had broken down.

Meanwhile, it is claimed the Gunners will face competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea will rival Arsenal for the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha.

Elsewhere, Mikel Arteta provided an update on the injury that caused defender Lewis Myles-Kelly to miss the Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, White – Arsenal injury news and return dates for Wolves

Mikel Arteta will be desperate to get his Arsenal side back on track after last week’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. The slip-up, after taking a commanding two-goal lead, has put Liverpool in total control of the title race.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest control to plough on up the table and are level with Arsenal heading into Saturday’s action. The good news is that Arsenal face a hapless Wolves side sitting just above the relegation zone.

They have put up little fight in recent weeks and went down to Chelsea on Monday night. Arsenal will be keen to repeat their opening day victory against the same opponents as they travel to the Midlands.

William Saliba

Injury: Saliba was a surprise absentee for the draw with Aston Villa last week. He played no part in the midweek win over Dinamo Zagreb but is working positively towards a return.

What Arteta has said: “With Myles there’s nothing serious on the scan so it will be a matter of today having a meeting with the medical staff and a training session and whether it’s too early or not. With Willy it’s the same. I think they’ll definitely be in for next week but this week, let’s see how it goes.

The defender featured against Villa but was not on the bench on Wednesday night for the visit of Dinamo Zagreb. Arteta had good news on his potential return.

What Arteta has said: “With Myles there’s nothing serious on the scan so it will be a matter of today having a meeting with the medical staff and a training session and whether it’s too early or not.” He added: “I think they’ll definitely be in for next week but this week, let’s see how it goes.”

Possible return date: Manchester City (H) – Sunday, February 2.

Gabriel Jesus

Injury: Knee.

Jesus suffered yet another damaging setback earlier this month in the FA Cup clash with Manchester United. He is set to be out for a number of months with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament issue.

What Arteta has said: “We lost two big players – Bukayo could be out for three months and Gabby is going to be out for a long time.”

Possible return date: Next season.

Ben White

Injury: Knee.

White played through pain in his knee at the start of the season and has been out ever since. The defender is yet to play in 2025 and is already three months removed from his last appearance.

What Arteta has said: “Still not available. He hasn’t trained with the team yet but he’s very close to doing that. He needs to tick a few boxes and then I think he will be with us pretty soon.”

Possible return date: Newcastle United (A) – Wednesday, February 5.

Double Arsenal exit explodes into life with first deal ‘on the verge’ of completion

Two Arsenal exits in the same position are hurtling towards the finish line, and what type of deals are expected to be finalised has been revealed.

It’s been a quiet window at Arsenal so far, but with just 10 days remaining, a pair of exits are rapidly heating up.

Firstly, a fresh update from  left-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko, is ‘expected to leave’ before the February 3 deadline.

The Ukraine international, 28, has emerged as Borussia Dortmund’s new No 1 option for the left-back position. Dortmund had explored a the signing of Chelsea’s Renato Veiga, though he’s now heading to Juventus via the loan route.

Dortmund are reportedly ‘ready to make a move’ for Zinchenko and a prior report from Sky Germany revealed the type of deal that could be struck.

Taking to X, reporter Florian Plettenberg wrote on January 14: “Borussia Dortmund are exploring a deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko!

“Concrete talks have already taken place with the player’s management in the last days and are ongoing.

“The 28-year-old left-back is keen to leave Arsenal. Gunners open for a loan with an obligation to buy of approximately €20m. Dortmund had already shown interest last summer.”

Kieran Tierney bound for Celtic

Zinchenko’s fellow left-back, Kieran Tierney, is also heading out of Arsenal, though it’s not yet clear whether he leaves this window or in the summer.

Tierney, 27, is out of contract in the summer and can sign a pre-contract agreement with non-Premier League sides having entered the final six months of his deal.

Ex-Man Utd man defends scapegoated Arsenal star who’s secretly ‘brilliant’

Former Manchester United midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, has leapt to the defence of Kai Havertz while explaining why the much-maligned Arsenal man is actually ‘brilliant’.

Arsenal have lost just twice all season in the Premier League and almost certainly booked their place in the Last 16 of the Champions League after sinking Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday night. However, that is scant consolation for many Arsenal fans who believe their club should be well on their way to ending their 20-plus year drought for a Premier League title.

Instead, it’s Liverpool who are on course to be crowned kings of England, with Arne Slot’s side boasting a six-point lead and a game in hand.

Much of the frustration at Arsenal revolves around the club’s lack of a potent 20-goal-per-season striker. It cannot be argued wasteful finishing has cost Arsenal dearly at times this term.

Kai Havertz has been guiltier than most in that regard, with the German once again tasked with playing up front for much of the season.

Havertz has become a lightning rod for criticism and a symbol of the club’s inability to address the bigger issue. Had Arsenal signed an out-and-out striker last summer, Havertz would not be in the crosshairs of the fanbase.

However, Havertz bagged both a goal and assist in the 3-0 victory over Zagreb to bring his goals contribution tally for the season to 18.

While that figure does trail comparable Premier League rivals like Erling Haaland (24 goal contributions) and Alexander Isak (22), it is a superior return when compared to Dominic Solanke (17 goal contributions) and Nicolas Jackson (13).

And speaking to TNT Sports, former Man Utd midfielder, Owen Hargreaves, leapt to the defence of Havertz who in his mind, receives far too much unwarranted criticism.

Hansi Flick continues to place trust in La Masia, averaging 5 academy players per lineup

FC Barcelona have not been flawless so far this season, but they have easily been the most exciting team to watch in Europe. The Blaugranes, under Hansi Flick, are playing an incredibly attacking brand of football that leads to a lot of goals.

Barcelona have gotten a lot of plaudits for the attacking football that they have been playing. Their most recent game was against Benfica at Estadio da Luz in the Champions League was a sensational comeback 5-4 win against the Portuguese side.

Another feature of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona so far this season has been the immense trust he has placed in La Masia. As reported by Mundo Deportivo, the German coach loves the youth team and is looking to give them chances whenever possible.

Under the German coach, players like Toni Fernández, Marc Bernal, Sergi Domínguez, Dani Olmo ( La Masia product ), and Andrés Cuenca have been given their debut. Even Gerard Martín and Pau Víctor are considered youth team players, although they might not have come through the youth ranks.

Hansi Flick has lined up with an average of five La Masia players in his XI throughout this season. There have been times when there has been more and also times when there has been less but that is more or less expected.

Lamine Yamal, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casadó, Pau Cubarsí, and Gavi have established themselves as part of his first-choice starting XI. Iñaki Peña has also attained that status in the absence of Marc-André ter Stegen who is out with an injury.