Odegaard to start – How Arsenal could line up against Wolves

9:09am on Monday 1st February 2021
By Nicholas Hughes

Arsenal are suddenly just four points off fifth place in the Premier League and are looking to preserve a current seven-game unbeaten stretch when they face Wolves on Tuesday night.

The Gunners were good value for a point at home against Manchester United at the weekend and now have the second best defensive record in the league.

And the defence for the trip to Molineux could be strengthened by a return from injury for Kieran Tierney. The Scotsman has missed the last two league games and Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with a muscle injury.

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David Luiz and Rob Holding have formed a solid partnership at the heart of the defence while Hector Bellerin has emerged as an important part of Arsenal’s purple patch of form.

Mikel Arteta will be rejoicing at the long-awaited consistent availability of summer signing Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian has played in the side’s last five league games, starting the last two, and should be in line to play from the opening again alongside Granit Xhaka.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s return is currently an unknown as he faces quarantine measures after a period away from the pitch due to personal reasons.

Gabriel Martinelli has started two games in a week in the captains absence, and after coming off a lengthy injury at the end of last year he could be managed for the trip to Wolves.

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That should allow Martin Odegaard to come in for his first start for the club since moving on loan from Real Madrid, with Emile Smith-Rowe and Nicolas Pepe keeping their places behind Alexandre Lacazette.

Pepe in particular has enjoyed an upturn in form having started three games in the last week and scoring in the league win at Southampton.

Arsenal will meet a Wolves side in polar opposite form, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men without a Premier League win in eight matches.

The Gunners will fancy their chances to continue their run and move into the European places with a number of rivals set to face each other over the coming week.