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Gunners face Wolves’ at a crucial time


Bangladeshpost
Published : 23 Apr 2019 04:25 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 12:09 AM

Unai Emery will be after a quick response from his Arsenal players when they make the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

This midweek tussle with Arsenal may have come at the perfect time for Nuno Espirito Santo. Wolves' season is at risk of spiralling out, having won just one of their last five matches.

Wolves still have this game in hand to play on seventh-placed Everton, who are just one point better off, though Watford also have an extra game to play and seventh is considered theirs to lose at this point.

Despite their shaky form, however, Wolves have continually picked up big results against the top six, and they are also unbeaten in their last six home Premier League matches overall.

Not since between October 2003 and January 2004 have they enjoyed a longer unbeaten run which, as it turns out, was ended by Arsenal. If they can extend that run in midweek, last season's Championship title winners will still have plenty to play for over the remaining few weeks of the campaign.

Arsenal had managed to look like a team capable of defending in recent weeks, keeping out the opposition in six of their last seven matches heading into the calamitous performance against Palace, which halted their momentum.

Emery may well have to prioritise one competition over the other in the final month of the season, with the two legs against Valencia sandwiched between league games with Leicester City, Brighton and Burnley.

For now, though, all focus is on coming away from Molineux with all three points to keep hold of a place in the top four. If they are to achieve that, the Gunners must do something they have not managed since October - win back-to-back away matches.

In a season that could still go one of two ways, Emery will not want to see his side slip back into the old habits that were on show against Palace.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos is back from a two-match domestic ban, allowing Emery to leave Mustafi out of his side following his terrible display on Sunday.

Emery is hopeful of having Granit Xhaka back after the midfielder sat out the Palace match as a precaution. With Aaron Ramsey a confirmed absentee, Matteo Guendouzi is in line for another start should the Swiss miss out.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Alex Iwobi were brought on at half time at the weekend and are pushing for starts here, while Nacho Monreal and Lucas Torreira are also in line for recalls if Emery reverts back to his strongest side.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been directly involved in 10 goals in his eight Premier League appearances against promoted sides, scoring seven and assisting three. Five of those seven goals and two of the three assists have come away from home, possibly seeing him get the nod over Alexandre Lacazette up top.

Wolves once again have a clean bill of health, meanwhile, giving Nuno a chance to rotate his squad should he wish.

That does not seem likely, though, with the Portuguese not known for making mass changes between matches.

Morgan Gibbs-White started in midfield against Brighton at the weekend, but Leander Dendoncker may return on Wednesday, while Romain Saiss is also in contention to feature.

Up top, Raul Jimenez has been directly involved in seven goals in his 10 Premier League games against the top six Premier League sides this season, scoring four and assisting three.