Arteta keen to set opening day tone for Premier League success against Wolves

Mikel Arteta is hoping for a fast start as Arsenal begin their quest for the Premier League title when they welcome Wolves to the Emirates on Saturday.

Arteta’s side concluded their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 2-0 win over Lyon last week, with William Saliba and Gabriel on target in the first half.

And the Gunners head coach explained that his side must set the tone in the opening exchanges against Gary O’Neil’s side in North London.

“Look at today with the way we started, for sure. It’s about maintaining that for 95 minutes and that’s the target and objectives that we need to have,” Arteta said after the win over the French side.

“There’s a lot of positives to take from today’s performance again.

“I think overall it’s been a really positive pre-season with the tour and the club and a lot of people put a lot of effort into making it work. I think it was a success again.”

Gearing up for our season opener

Sobha Realty Training Centre

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 14, 2024

Wolves, meanwhile, will be hoping to improve on a dismal end to the 2023-24 season, but face a side they have failed to beat in the Premier League since February 2021.

O’Neil’s side lost five of their last six league games (W1), including the last three in a row, concluding their pre-season fixtures with a 1-0 defeat to Rayo Vallecano at Molineux last Saturday.

“Next week is a big one for me to make sure the lads are ready for the Premier League and next week is a big one for us in the transfer market,” O’Neil said.

“We’ve made another £100m this summer, we made £100m last summer, and that does provide its challenges to keep the team staying competitive and keep the team as strong as it once was four or five years ago.

“We’re trying to get it back to that, but with a very different make-up behind the scenes that we’re working to. But I enjoy those challenges a lot.”

A new season on the horizon pic.twitter.com/rPn4CWu9nd

— Wolves (@Wolves) August 14, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Martin Odegaard

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard enjoyed his joint-most prolific season for the Gunners last year, netting 11 goals and adding 11 assists across 48 appearances in all competitions.

Odegaard has scored more Premier League goals against Wolves (four) than he has against any other opponent, but three of those have come away from the Emirates.

The Norwegian will hope to have an effect at the top end of the pitch, with his 102 chances that he created for the Gunners last year a total only bettered by Pascal Gross (103) and Bruno Fernandes (114).

Wolves – Matheus Cunha

With Pedro Neto’s transfer to Chelsea confirmed last week, last year’s top scorer in all competitions, Matheus Cunha will pose a significant threat to Arsenal’s defence.

Cunha contributed 22 goal involvements (14 goals and eight assists) in 36 appearances last year, registering the highest expected goals (xG) total in the Wolves squad in the Premier League (9.49).

The Brazilian scored in his last visit to North London in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal and will be hoping to continue his scoring streak at the Emirates this weekend.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Arsenal are the clear favourites to start their campaign with three points, winning 76.4% of Opta’s data-led simulations, with Wolves emerging victorious in 9.5% of those.

The Gunners have won each of their last six Premier League encounters with Wolves, their joint-longest winning run against them (also six in a row from 2003 to 2011).

Arteta has won his opening Premier League fixture in each of the last two seasons, with another victory securing three consecutive opening day triumphs for the first time since between 2007-08 and 2009-10.

Arsenal have scored in each of their last 33 meetings with Wolves in all competitions, last failing to do so since a 1-0 home defeat 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.

But O’Neil will be hopeful of changing his side’s opening day fortunes. Wolves have lost their opening Premier League game in each of the last three seasons and have never started a league season with defeat in four seasons in a row in their history.

Wolves have also 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 Espirito Santo.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 76.4%

Draw – 14%

Wolves – 9.5%