Mikel Arteta will want Arsenal to get back to winning ways as they travel to Molineux to take on the Wolves; changes to the team are unlikely.
Arsenal have come to a point where they do not have things on their hands when it comes to the Premier League race, as Mikel Arteta will demand a win in every single game to give themselves a chance. They next take on Wolves at Molineux, with the Gunners eager to bounce back from a three-game winless run in all competitions.
During his pre-match press conference, Arteta did not have much to report on the fitness of his players, as only Jurrien Timber is the player out of contention at the moment. Instead, he spoke a bit about the week and bits about the title race while also touching upon Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka being constantly targeted in games.
Arteta said, “As an experience it wasn’t the best one. A defeat in the league and a defeat in the Champions League but I’m fully focused on the times that we have ahead of us with six games to go. We are a game behind City and we’re going to give it a real go.”
Finally, he finished by touching upon Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, who are constantly being targeted by the opposition. However, Arteta insisted that the best players everywhere would be treated the same way, and his classy duo would be no different.
He said, “They are constantly targeted like all the best players, like any other opponent. We always try to find ways to prepare the games to try to help them. If they try to do certain things to stop us, to find other ways, spaces, combinations, this is a journey because there’s always something that they try and you have to adapt it and make it work.”
As for the lineup against Wolves, Arteta does have a chance to rotate his pack, and he would have had Arsenal continue in the Champions League. However, the likelihood of too many changes are remote, as he might still consider rotating in the left-back role.
Takehiro Tomiyasu started in midweek against Bayern and could now be replaced by Jakub Kiwior, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is also an option. With Wolves likely to overload on the right side, it is imperative for Arsenal to have a player with a defensive mindset, meaning Kiwior might fit the bill.
Other than that, Arsenal might put out a similar team that played in Munich, with Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes completing the backline that will protect David Raya.
Thomas Partey remains an option for Arteta to consider. But Jorginho will be trusted with the midfield job alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. Saka will continue on the right, while Gabriel Martinelli will play on the left flank, as Kai Havertz continues to lead the line. Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard will once again find themselves on the bench.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
