TEAM NEWS
Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira has had groin surgery but would have missed this match anyway through suspension. Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe and Jurrien Timber remain out with injuries.
Wolves will be without suspended midfielders Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina but defender Craig Dawson is available again after a ban. Rayan Ait-Nouri will be out for approx. 4 weeks after limping off with an ankle injury in Monday’s defeat at Fulham.
GARY O'NEIL
O’Neil says Rayan Ait-Nouri has rolled his ankle. The Algeria full-back will be out for the Arsenal game, but will hopefully “be able to play a part next week.”
Pedro Neto is also back on the grass, but still is not ready for Saturday’s game. “There are lot of things for Neto to check off but we’re getting closer.”
On the VAR controversy from the match against Fulham: “I haven’t put too much thought into it since the game. Similar answer to always, hopefully it can improve and we can get more right. I stand by my decisions the other night, and convinced with the answers I gave.”
On Mario Lemina’s suspension: “I think the shift in the game and how easy it is to pick up yellow card is why he is where he is. Some of them are unavoidable, but some of ours have been cheaper than that and we need to cut them out. You don’t what to take away what they are, but we need to limit the cheap ones.”
He is impressed by Arsenal: “I think they are excellent. Their Champions League and league positions tells you exactly where they are. The two centre-backs they have are incredible physically and allow them to be unbelievably aggressive. It’s probably the ultimate test in the Premier League at the moment, especially with a weakened group.”
MATCH STATS & FACTS
Head-to-head
- Arsenal are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory over Wolves.
- Wolves have never kept a clean sheet in 18 previous Premier League games against Arsenal.
- The Gunners scored seven goals without conceding when doing the double over Wolves last season.
- Arsenal have scored in their last 31 meetings with Wolves in all competitions, a run which stretches back to February 1979, and which is one short of their club record of 32 (v West Brom).
Arsenal
- Arsenal are aiming to win three league matches in a row for the first time this season.
- They are unbeaten at the Emirates in any competition in 2023-24 and have only lost one of their past 15 Premier League home fixtures dating back to last season (W11, D3).
- The Gunners have kept six clean sheets and conceded 10 goals, which are both league-best figures this season.
- They have not scored in the opening 15 minutes of a Premier League game in this campaign, with their earliest goal coming in the 17th minute.
- Arsenal have won their last six league matches in December.
- Gabriel Jesus has scored six goals in his six Premier League starts against Wolves.
Wolves
- Wolves have lost their last two away games – at Fulham and Sheffield United.
- All four of their Premier League wins this season have been by a single-goal margin.
- Gary O’Neil’s side have only kept one clean sheet in their past 23 Premier League away fixtures.
- They have scored in their last 12 Premier League games, their second-longest scoring streak in the division.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Eddie Smart, Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth official: Thomas Bramall. VAR: John Brooks. Assistant VAR: Neil Davies.
MATCH INFO
Wolves head to the Emirates on Saturday 2nd December for a 3pm kick off against Arsenal. This game is not shown live on TV in the uK.