Wolverhampton Wanderers are preparing for their away game against Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, which will be their first Premier League match of 2024–25.
Although they will be up against title contenders, Gary O’Neil and his team will be eager to start the new season in style. Manchester City defeated the Gunners by just two points to win the Premier League the previous season.
Mikel Arteta has been putting a lot of effort into getting his team ready so they can advance this season, and he believes a strong start is essential.
Given that this weekend’s match will take place away from home at Emirates Stadium, Wolves will need to treat Arsenal with a great degree of respect.
Nevertheless, in 2023–2024, Wanderers frequently shocked the greatest teams in the division, excelling when the pressure was on.
The fact that the Old Gold defeated Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the previous season and also triumphed against Man City will give them a lot of confidence. There were also draws with Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Compared to this time last year, O’Neil’s team is in a very different position, having added new players and sold a number of important players. Although Rodrigo Gomes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Pedro Lima have proven to be profitable acquisitions, Pedro Neto and Maximilian Kilman are the well-known salesmen and come with significant losses.
For this weekend’s season opener, there are a number of selection conundrums, especially in terms of configuration. It will be intriguing to watch O’Neil’s strategy against elite opponents as he has played both four- and five-back formations.
Wolves predicted lineup vs Arsenal (A)
Opting with a five-man defence, here’s the starting XI we reckon Wolves will adopt at the Emirates.
GK – Jose Sa
Sa has been linked with a move away from Wolves but remains at the club as the first-choice goalkeeper.
RWB – Matt Doherty
The experienced Irishman is likely to step in as Nelson Semedo is suspended for the first three matches of the season. Pedro Lima is also in contention.
CB – Yerson Mosquera
The Colombian has now been fully integrated into the Wanderers setup following last season’s successful loan at Villarreal. He could become a key player.
Dawson’s aerial prowess and experience could be handy at the heart of defence. This is especially the case against Arsenal, one of the Premier League’s best teams from set pieces.
CB – Toti Gomes
Toti, often deployed as a left centre-back in a three, was quite the unsung hero last term. He deserves plenty of plaudits.
LWB – Rayan Ait-Nouri
The Algerian simply has to start whenever fit, it’s just a matter of where. In this case, the back five compliments Ait-Nouri at left wing-back.
CM – Mario Lemina
The new skipper will relish the challenge of facing title hopefuls on the opening day. Lemina brings so much energy to the Old Gold’s midfield.
CM – Joao Gomes
The Brazilian was excellent last campaign and will look to continue his progression during the season ahead. Gomes complements Lemina brilliantly.
RW – Hwang Hee-chan
Hwang, who remains at the club despite an attempted swoop from Marseille, was Wolves’ equal top scorer in 2023/24. He
LW – Rodrigo Gomes
The new signing impressed in pre-season and may have edged out the likes of Pablo Sarabia for a start. Matheus Cunha, meanwhile, is likely to make the squad but not the XI after returning to contract training midweek.
ST – Jorgen Strand Larsen
The Norwegian, who scored 13 goals in 37 La Liga games last term, is the chosen out-and-out striker for the season ahead.
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