Arsenal vs Wolves LIVE: Gunners start Premier League title charge with tricky home tie – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

Arsenal get their 2024/25 Premier League campaign underway this weekend with a home tie against Wolves.

The Gunners will be hoping this is finally the year they beat Manchester City to the top-flight title after finishing second the last two seasons.

5

Mikel Arteta has enjoyed some epic battles with his old mentor, Pep Guardiola, but the latter has always done just enough to win the league.

But there will be a lot of optimism around the north London giants this year, with the squad looking in good shape.

Meanwhile, Wolves rewarded Gary O’Neil with a new bumper contract after a great first year at Molineux.

The Old Gold were tipped to struggle but finished comfortably in midtable, and they will look to build on that and push into the top ten this time.

Arsenal vs Wolves: Set-pieces kings

There is no question that Arsenal are the most potent team from set-pieces in the top-fight.

Last year, 20 of their goals came from set-pieces, with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka often delivering excellent balls into the box.

The Gunners also possess a lot of height across their team, with Arteta capable of naming a starting XI compromising of six outfielders over 6ft.

Plus, they have an ingenious coach in Nicolas Jover, who has provided some excellent routines that make a difference.

Often set-pieces are somewhat ignored by some teams, so if Arsenal can score even more from these situations this season, they should be on for another strong title challenge.

5

5

• Arsenal have won each of their last six Premier League matches against Wolves, their joint-longest winning run against them in the competition (also six in a row from 2003 to 2011).
• Wolverhampton Wanderers have won just one of their last 13 away top-flight visits to Arsenal (D4 L8), winning 2-1 at the Emirates in November 2020 under Nuno Espírito Santo.
• Arsenal have scored in each of their last 33 meetings with Wolves in all competitions, since a 1-0 home loss in February 1979. It’s both the Gunners’ longest scoring streak against an opponent, and Wolves’ longest run without a clean sheet against a side in their respective histories.

Arsenal vs Wolves: Date and how to follow

This Premier League game is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 17.

Kick-off at the Emirates is set for 3pm.

Unfortunately, due to the 3pm TV blackout, this game won’t be broadcast in the UK.

Highlights will be available on the Sky Sports App and YouTube channel shortly after full time, while Match of the Day will also have highlights in the evening.

talkSPORT will bring regular updates from north London on GameDay Live with Adrian Durham, Troy Deeney and Dean Ashton.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

• Arsenal have won 16 of their 18 Premier League games so far in 2024 (D1 L1), comfortably their highest win rate across a calendar year in their league history (89%). They’ve also scored 54 goals in these games (3 per game) and conceded just nine (0.5 per game).
• Wolves lost five of their last six Premier League games in 2023-24 (W1), including the last three in a row. They last had a longer run of defeats between May and August 2021 – their final three of 2020-21 and their first three of 2021-22.
• William Saliba has been on the winning side in 49 of his 65 Premier League games for Arsenal. Should he play and win this game, it would be the fastest a Gunners player has reached 50 victories in the competition (currently Nacho Monreal, 70 games).
• Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has scored more Premier League goals against Wolves (4) than he has against any other opponent. However, three of his four strikes against them have come away from home.

Arsenal vs Wolves: Team news

The Gunners have a few injury concerns heading into the start of the campaign, with Takehiro Tomiyasu set for a few weeks on the sidelines.

Jurrien Timber sustained a foot injury in pre-season, but he’s expected to be fine for this game.

Meanwhile, Fabio Vieira has a hip issue and is doubtful.

New signing Riccardo Calafiori is likely to be on the bench but could make his debut after joining from Bologna.

5

Meanwhile, Wolves could hand some debuts to their new recruits.

Tommy Doyle has joined permanently from Man City after a successful loan last year, while Rodrigo Gomes, Pedro Lima and Jorgen Strand Larsen will all be chomping at the bit to play.

Pedro Neto and Max Kilman have departed for big money, leaving Wolves short in a few areas.

5

• Arsenal have won their opening Premier League match in each of the last two seasons, beating Crystal Palace in 2022-23 and Nottingham Forest last season. The Gunners last started their season with a win in three seasons in a row between 2007-08 and 2009-10.
• Wolves have lost their opening Premier League game in each of the last three seasons. They have never started a league season with defeat in four seasons in a row in their history.
• This is the first time Arsenal have kicked off their Premier League campaign with a Saturday 3pm game since 2013-14, and a 3-1 home loss to Aston Villa. It’s also only the second time in the last 21 campaigns that a team who finished in the top two the previous season has played their first game in that kick-off slot, after reigning champions Chelsea lost 3-2 at home to Burnley in 2017-18.

Arsenal vs Wolves: What has been said?

talkSPORT host Adrian Durham believes that Arsenal will win the Premier League this season, but if they don’t, he thinks it could be time for Arteta to move on.

He said: “I think Arsenal will win the title, and I think if they don’t, they possibly need to look elsewhere for a manager.

“Because we can look at Arteta and we can go on about how he won the FA Cup in his first season – little bit of luck about that. And the FA Cup isn’t a sign of greatness.

“When we’re talking about sealing the title, they’re on the brink, they’re on the cusp. But they have been for two seasons now. They completely blew it in that first season and last season, it was there in their hands.

“Now, Man City kept relentlessly winning, but Arsenal needed to do exactly the same to take the title – and they didn’t. They lost at home to Aston Villa. So, I think he’s got to do something very, very special this season, but I do think that squad is capable of it.

“The concern I have with Arteta is, all this stuff about pickpockets and all that and we’ve seen the documentary and how intense he is in the dressing room. It’s ok being that intense if you’re Pep Guardiola and you’re winning stuff season in, season out.

“But can those players maintain that level of intensity and and take all of that from Arteta if he’s not leading them to a major trophy? If it doesn’t happen again this season, are they going to think, well something is wrong here. We can’t keep giving everything.”