Arsenal will be hoping that third time is the charm as they kick off their Premier League season on Saturday, Mikel Arteta bidding to go one better after successive second placed finishes behind Manchester City. That seems a more likely scenario than a step away from the title race in North London, where an encouraging preseason has supporters dreaming of glory.
Meanwhile in Wolverhampton expectations will perhaps be more measured. For the second season running star players have been snapped up by Premier League rivals, Pedro Neto joining Chelsea in a deal the Molineux hierarchy felt was too good to turn down. Veteran center back Max Kilman has also departed for West Ham, meaning Wolves are £94 million better off away from the pitch but surely a diminished force on it. Gary O’Neil’s side could well find themselves battling against the drop in 2024-25, snatching some points against a title contender would certainly be a good way of ensuring that is not the case.
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Viewing information
- Date: Saturday, August 17 | Time: 10 a.m. ET
- Location: Emirates Stadium — London
- TV: USA | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Arsenal -550; Draw +600; Wolves +1600
Team news
Arsenal: So far Riccardo Calafiori has been only one major addition to the squad that took it to the final day last season, though David Raya has made his loan move permanent to the surprise of no one. Whether Calafiori will immediately enter the XI is doubtful, Oleksandr Zinchenko seemed to respond to the challenge of a new option at left back in purposeful fashion during preseason and the Gunners are not short on options in defense even with Takehiro Tomiyasu still out with a knee injury. Fabio Vieira is also a doubt with a hip issue.
Jurrien Timber did, however, return to training after a loading issue that is relatively common in players working their way back from lengthy absences of the sort he suffered on the opening day of last season. Arteta will hope his side make it through this opener unscathed.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Wolves: Without Neto, the pressure will build on the rest of the Wolves squad to pick up the creative burden he shouldered when available. New signings Jorgen Strand Larsen, who played through Saturday’s friendly defeat to Rayo Vallecano with a groin injury, and Rodrigo Gomes could be the ones tasked with carrying that weight on the opening day while Matheus Cunha is expected to come into the XI despite a limited role in preseason. Nelson Semedo is suspended for the first three games and Enso Gonzalez will be out for some time after injuring himself with Paraguay at the Olympics.
Possible Wolves XI: Sa; Doherty, Toti, Mosquera, Ait Nouri; Joao Gomes, Lemina; Gomes, Sarabia, Hwang; Cunha
Prediction
This should be a straightforward start to the season for Arsenal, who will be looking to prove they are the sort of side that can blow away relegation-threatened opponents. PICK: Arsenal 2, Wolves 0
