Wolves vs Arsenal Odds, Predictions, Picks | Premier League Match Preview
DeFodi Images/Getty. Pictured: Gabriel.
Wolves vs Arsenal Odds
| Wolves Odds | +800 |
| Arsenal Odds | -310 |
| Draw | +440 |
| Over / Under | 2.5 -170 / +125 |
There's just six matches left in the Premier League season, and both of these sides still have a lot to play for.
Arsenal are still aiming to claim their first league title in over two decades, and they sit two points behind Manchester City in second. Wolves, while likely out of contention for European qualification, are hunting for their fourth top-half finish in six years since being promoted from the Championship.
In the reverse fixture at the Emirates, Arsenal jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and they generally controlled the state of affairs for the rest of the match. Matheus Cunha was able to halve the deficit in the final minutes, but Wolves weren't able to salvage a point from there.
Read on for my Wolves vs Arsenal prediction and Premier League match preview.
Wolves
Since the start of March, the Midlands club has endured a rocky run of form. Wolves conceded 97th and 100th minute goals against Coventry to crash out of the FA Cup at home, suffered heavy defeats away to Newcastle and Aston Villa and only have a single win — a 2-1 victory over Fulham — in that time. With trips to Anfield and the Etihad still left on the calendar, on top of this fixture, things don't necessarily get easier for them.
Last time out, a Cunha brace earned Wolves a draw away to Nottingham Forest. The Brazilian's return from injury, along with Hwang Hee-chan's recovery, reinforce an attack that was depleted to say the least. Pedro Neto is still sidelined, and Craig Dawson's availability is up in the air, but Gary O'Neil is closer to having a full squad at his disposal — the lack of which no doubt played a role in Wolves' recent results.
Metrics-wise, Wolves profile as a mid-table side. Ranking 15th in Field Tilt and being in the bottom half for both xThreat for and against doesn't fill many people with confidence. However, they are a better team than the numbers would indicate, operating in a 3-2-5 shape in possession that utilizes a lot of intelligent movements and passing lane creation and having flexibility out of possession to adapt how high up the pitch they engage as well as the structure of their defensive block.
Arsenal
Like the home side, Arsenal are also going through a tough spell, although over a much shorter period — about 10 days — and potentially costing them two of the most prestigious trophies in the sport. The two legs of a 3-2 on aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals bookended a disastrous 2-0 loss to Aston Villa last weekend, which took them out of the driver's seat in the Premier League title race.
The general theme of the season for Mikel Arteta's side has been dominance against the ball with periodic blips in production with the ball — particularly when they weren't converting a dead ball situation into a goal in what felt like every match. What's made these last three fixtures even more troubling is frailties being exposed in a usually impenetrable pressing structure coupled with another spell of impotence from the Gunners' forwards. Against lesser opposition, the issues with the high press won't be as apparent. However, it's clear Arteta will have to make changes, either personnel-wise or tactically, next season to get more out his team in settled attacking situations, and for now they're just too reliant on getting a bad performance or setup from the opponent to have success in that phase of play.
Wolves vs Arsenal
Prediction
Wolves are well-rested and healthier than they've been in a while, and also have the benefit of playing at Molineux. Arsenal come in having played and not won three high-intensity fixtures in a row, making fatigue a major factor. Although the Gunners sliced through Gary O'Neil's 5-3-2 mid/deep block in the previous meeting between these two teams, they do not currently look like a side that can break down a compact defensive structure, and Wolves will no doubt have learned from that first encounter.
This match will be a bigger challenge for Arsenal than most might anticipate, and thus I like Wolves +1.5.
Pick: Wolves +1.5 (-125)
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