Wolves predicted XI, team and injury news as Jorgen Strand Larsen starts v Arsenal .
On Saturday, Wolves travel to Arsenal for the opening match of their Premier League campaign as Gary O’Neil aims to pull off an upset.
After a positive run of pre-season results, including wins over West Ham and RB Leipzig, Wolves face arguably the toughest trip in the Premier League to open up their season.
Last term, Arsenal ran Manchester City close for the title and missed out by just two points, with Mikel Arteta’s men transforming the Emirates into a fortress.
The Gunners lost just two of their home matches, securing 15 wins in the process and scoring the fourth most goals (48).
The task ahead of Gary O’Neil is an unenviable one and that is reinforced by Chris Sutton, who believes Arsenal will secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Wolves.
For the visitors to head back to Molineux with a positive result, they’ll have to somehow shut down the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, while being ruthless on the counter-attack.
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Wolves team news ahead of Arsenal
Wolves head to North London with no major injuries to speak of but are likely to be without starman Matheus Cunha, who picked up a hamstring injury in pre-season, although he did train ahead of the contest, as per the clubs’ official website.
Aside from Cunha’s potential absence, O’Neil will definitely be without right-back Nelson Semedo, who is serving a three-match suspension after being sent off in the final match of last season against Liverpool.
The Wolves boss has a nearly a fully fit squad to choose from, which has been a rarity in his tenure, as new signings Rodrigo Gomes, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Pedro Lima will all hope to make their league debuts.
With no replacements yet sourced, it will be interesting to see how the Wanderers cope without Max Kilman and Pedro Neto, who completed moves to West Ham and Chelsea this summer.
Jorgen Strand Larsen poses for a portrait in the 2024/25 Wolverhampton Wanderers home kit during the media access day at Molineux on August 08, 202…
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Wolves predicted XI vs Arsenal
O’Neil used a 4-3-3 formation for most of pre-season however, against Arsenal, he’ll want more defensive cover, so he’s likely to switch back to a three-man defence.
Jose Sa will line up in between the posts for Wolves with three centre-backs in front of him, including Yerson Mosquera, veteran Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes.
Mosquera has featured all pre-season for the club and should make his league debut while Dawson’s inclusion is mainly down to his experience.
With Semedo suspended, Matt Doherty should start at right wing-back. The robust and incredible partnership of Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina will be rekindled in the middle of the park, leaving the ‘quality’ Tommy Doyle benched, while Rayan Ait-Nouri’s spot at left wing-back is assured.
Given it’s unlikely Cunha will be risked, the Old Gold should see two new debutants in action; Rodrigo Gomes could start on the right wing with Hwang Hee-chan on the left and Jorgen Strand Larsen through the middle.
Wolves (3-4-3): Sa; Mosquera, Dawson, Toti; Doherty, Gomes, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Rodrigo, Hwang, Strand-Larsen.
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