Arsenal begins Premier League title challenge in Wolves clash.

2024-09-15

Arsenal kick off their title chase against Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on August 17, aiming to set a new record with a seventh consecutive win against the Wanderers while bolstering their credentials against Manchester City’s dominance.

Arsenal

The Gunners will begin their 2024/25 campaign off the back of a 2-0 win over Lyon in the Emirates Cup final. After a second-place finish last season, Arsenal will be looking to stop Manchester City from picking up a fifth successive Premier League title this term.

Investments in the transfer window to the tune of roughly £70 million saw Arsenal add Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna for €45 million, while David Raya remained at the Emirates for €32 million. Emile Smith Rowe left for Fulham, while Albert Sambi Lokonga joined Sevilla on loan. While the departures are not expected to harm Arsenal’s title hopes in any way, they will be keen to get off to a win on Saturday.

Arsenal are on a six-game winning run against Wolves and could go seven games against the Wanderers for the first time ever should they defeat Wolves here. In addition, the Gunners have won their last two opening Premier League games and are hoping for a third such win.

Mikel Arteta is expected to deploy a 4-3-3 formation with the attacking trio of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka. Despite the new season, Arteta will be sweating on defensive woes, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney ruled out, while Jurrien Timber remains in doubt.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves are aiming for a commendable spot inside the top ten, though they're not contenders for the title. Last season's disappointing campaign saw the Wanderers finish in 14th place.

Being cautious with their budget, Wolves spent £21.2 million in the summer transfer window. A significant portion of this went towards acquiring Rodrigo Gomes from SC Braga for €15 million.

However, they also saw the departure of their prized asset, Pedro Neto, to Chelsea for €60 million, ending his five-year period at the club. Gary O’Neil will need to find ways to adapt without the gifted player.

Wolves are on a three-game losing run on Match Day 1 as they prepare to visit Arsenal. Unfortunately, their record of just one win in 13 away top-flight visits to Arsenal [1W, 4D, 8L] doesn't inspire much confidence.

Matheus Cunha, who missed the final three pre-season matches, has returned to training alongside Boubacar Traore. However, Cunha remains a doubt for the weekend's game, and Nélson Semedo is suspended.