Tuesday, April 10, 2012

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11.04. (Wed) 20:45 Wolves - Arsenal

EPL,Yaya Toure,Tomas Rosicky,Arsenal v Manchester City
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PROBABLE LINEUPS

WOLVES

Hennessey
Zubar, Stearman, Bassong, Ward Kightly, Henry, Edwards, Jarvis Doyle, Fletcher
ARSENAL

SzczesnySagna, Djourou, Vermaelen, Gibbs
Arteta, Song, RosickyWalcott, Van Persie, Benayoun

Jamie O'Hara, Stephen Hunt and Jody Craddock remain out with injury for Terry Connor's Wolves as he seeks to overcome a poor run of form.

Sylvain Ebanks-Blake was preferred up front against Stoke City but Kevin Doyle could be in line for a return on Wednesday.

Richard Stearman could continue at centre-back, after moving inside to accommodate Ronald Zubar whilst Roger Johnson is set to stay out of the picture after Connor opted to replace the controversial centre-back with Karl Henry as the club's captain.

Arsenal have no new injury concerns, though they are still without Jack Wilshere, Per Mertesacker (both ankle), Emmanuel Frimpong (knee), Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby (both hamstring).

They will, however, be missing centre-back Laurent Koscielny as the Frenchman incurred a suspension for picking up his 10th yellow card of the campaign against Manchester City on Sunday.

Yossi Benayoun came in for the Gunners as they beat City 1-0 and Arsene Wenger is likely to stick with the 4-3-3 formation that won that game.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Wolves have lost their last six games and are the Premier League's bottom side with 22 points from 32 games.
  • The hosts have conceded a league-highest 70 goals so far this season.
  • Behind 11-goal Steven Fletcher, Wolves' second-highest league goalscorer is winger Matt Jarvis (pictured right), who has just five.
  • The Molineux outfit kept clean sheets in two of their first three Premier League games, on August 21 and 27, but have failed to keep any side out since then.
  • Wolves have yet to score a league goal in the first 10 minutes of a match.
  • Arsenal have won seven of their last eight matches.
  • The Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium by Wolves on December 27, Fletcher's equaliser cancelling out an early Gervinho strike.
  • Arsenal have conceded five own goals in the league this term whilst Terry Connor's side have leaked just two.
  • The Gunners have not lost to Wolves in any competition since September 29 1979, when they were beaten 3-2 in the old Division One. There have been 18 meetings between the two clubs since.

Prediction
Wolves have run out of time for caution and will need to go for it, unconcerned by the quality of the opposition, but you feel that the Gunners should have little trouble picking them off. Arsenal are on a high, having recovered from their shock defeat by QPR in the best possible way - an overturning of Manchester City - and their attack, particularly the imperious Robin van Persie, can be expected to put daylight between the two sides.
Editor's Prediction
Wolves 1-3 Arsenal