Arsenal kick-start their 2024/25 Premier League campaign on Saturday when they welcome Gary O’Neil’s Wolves to the Emirates.
The Premier League kick-starts for Arsenal at the Emirates, with Wolves coming to north London to test Mikel Arteta’s men and their resolve. The Gunners are seriously hoping this is the season where they clinch the title after coming agonisingly close to overpowering Manchester City and falling back by a mere two points.
Arsenal look prepared for the start of the new campaign, as some of their pre-season performances showed promise. After a mildly successful US tour that ended in a draw, win, and defeat, the Gunners showed their usual form during the last two friendlies at the Emirates against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
They have also been diligent in the transfer market, with the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori strengthening an already formidable defensive setup. Arsenal conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League last season, and Arteta will rely on his backline to produce a similar result to help them push for the title this time out. Before they can dream of a title, the North Londoners need to kickstart their season with a win over Wolves.
Gary O’Neil will be happy with his side’s pre-season performances, which also included a stellar 3-0 win over RB Leipzig. Although they did endure a few losses, the manager will only see that as part of the team’s preparation for the new season.
There are still mixed feelings about the season opener from Wolves’ perspective. They will hope to have a better start to the campaign than they have in the last three years. The Midlands side have lost each of their opening games over the past three campaigns, and they will want to avoid a fourth straight defeat that will also set an unwanted club record.
In the transfer market, Wolves have done a decent job so far. But O’Neil will hope for more activity before the window shuts. They have yet to find a direct replacement for former skipper Max Kilman, who joined West Ham. However, the significant loss of Pedro Neto will also cause the manager to want a suitable attacker to come in. They have a big task ahead with a trip to Arsenal, as a win will certainly boost their mood.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
Arsenal enter their first matchday of the season with minimum injury troubles. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are the only confirmed absentees at this point. The former is unlikely to be part of Mikel Arteta’s plans, while the latter continues to struggle with fitness issues, having missed the entire pre-season with a fresh knee injury.
Jurrien Timber is still a slight doubt after missing the last three friendlies with a foot injury. The Dutchman has returned to full training this week. Arteta might assess his fitness before the Wolves clash and decide whether to include him in the matchday squad, although he might not start.
Going by the last two friendlies at the Emirates, it is clear what Arteta’s starting lineup might look like. There might not be a place there for a new signing, Riccardo Calafiori, as he may not yet be ready to start games for the Gunners. Hence, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has been surprisingly sharp in pre-season, will start at left-back.
Ben White, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes are expected to form the backline alongside the Ukranian, with David Raya in goal. Thomas Partey might get the nod to start in central midfield in the holding role, with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard on either side of the Ghanaian midfielder.
Bukayo Saka has come back sharp in the last two pre-season games and will be expected to feature from the right-hand side. Gabriel Martinelli might get the nod on the left, and Kai Havertz will lead the line. At the same time, Arsenal’s bench looks stronger than ever, with Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Calafiori all playing part of it ahead of the season opener against the Wolves at the Emirates.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko’ Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Wolves
Gary O’Neil already has a few problems to deal with in his squad, as several of his key stars are in danger of missing the opener. Nelson Semedo’s red card in the final game of last season will see the Portuguese international miss the first three encounters this season.
Mario Lemina, Daniel Podence, Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Matheus Cunha have some fitness doubts, with the latter missing the last three pre-season games. However, O’Neil expects all three to be available for selection, with the Brazilian spotted in recent training photos.
Podence might still be a big doubt, although it needs to be clearer whether the Belgian features in the manager’s first-team plans after a year out on loan to Olympiacos. Leon Chiwome is certainly out for this clash at the Emirates, while teenage winger Enso Gonzalez suffered an ACL rupture while representing Paraguay at the Olympics.
At the back, Yerson Mosquera and Toti Gomes are expected to feature in central defence, while Matt Doherty might have to fight it out with summer arrival Pedro Lima for a spot at right-back. With Cunha expected to start, he will feature in the attacking third, with Hwang Hee-chan likely to lead the line for the Wolves against Arsenal.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jose Sa; Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, J.Gomes; Larsen, Cunha, R.Gomes; Hee-Chan
Key Stats
- Arsenal have won their last six matches against Wolves in all competitions.
- Arsenal won their last six Premier League games.
- Arsenal have not failed to score against Wolves in the last 45 years.
- Wolves have lost each of their last three Premier League season openers.
- The Wolves have never lost four consecutive opening-day games in their history.
Player to Watch
Bukayo Saka
The thunderous reception the England Euro 2024 finalist received upon his return to club football against Bayer Leverkusen showed what Saka means to Arsenal supporters. The winger has been a sensational figure under Arteta over the last three or four years, and everyone will look up to him as their superstar player.
Saka has garnered a reputation for helping the side get going in games, and this might be another season where he does that. Having posted his best goalscoring numbers in a Premier League campaign last time out, the winger will be desperate to continue with his momentum and, this time, help Arsenal clinch the Premier League title. A top performance against a team like Wolves will see him kick-start his season in style.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
Wolves come into this clash not in 100% shape, as there are some fitness concerns for Gary O’Neil to manoeuvre. Yet, he might play some of those stars who are not at their best levels from the start and task them with the enormous task of stopping a formidable Arsenal side.
The Gunners are not known for blistering goalscoring form in the early games of a season, although they have looked defensively solid in pre-season. Mikel Arteta will expect his backline to begin the season with a clean sheet, while the forwards will get the goals and the three points required to get their season going.
