Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Arsenal

The magnificent Own Goal scored twice for Arsenal at Molineux last year. Pic via Daily Mail.

Molineux, Wolverhampton

Wednesday, November 10

19:45 GMT, 2:45 p.m. EST

• Referee: Mark Halsey
• This Match, Last Year: Wolves 1 - 4 Arsenal
• All-Time in All Competitions: 54 Arsenal wins, 29 Wolves wins, 25 draws
• Arsenal's Recent Form: L-L-W-W-W-L
• Wolves' Recent Form: L-L-D-L-W-L

Predicted Line-Up

Fabianski

Sagna - Djourou - Squillaci - Clichy

Song - Wilshere

Walcott - Fabregas - Nasri

Chamakh

Subs from: Szczesny, Eboue, Denilson, Rosicky, Arshavin, Bendtner, Van Persie

Suspended: Koscielny (first of two, professional foul + second red card of season)

Out: Gibbs (knee), Diaby (ankle), Almunia (elbow), Vermaelen (Achilles), Ramsey (broken leg)

Arsenal News and Notes

• There is no change in the injury situation since Sunday against Newcastle; everyone available then is available tomorrow, including Samir Nasri who recovered from a knock to his calf and Cesc Fabregas who continues to have recurring hamstring problems.
• The bad news is that Thomas Vermaelen has suffered a set back and there is still much concern on the fate of Abou Diaby's ankle.
• Laurent Koscielny's red card appeal was dismissed and he will serve a two match ban: one for the red card and one for this being his second red of the season.
• This is the first time Arsenal has lost consecutive matches this season. Between the losses to West Brom and Chelsea, the Gunners won at Partizan Belgrade in the Champions League.

Wolves News and Notes

• Ronald Zubar and Joey Craddock are out until at least the weekend with an ankle and thigh injury, respectively. That's a shame, as both scored for Arsenal in this fixture last year.
• Michael Kightly has been a seriously long term absentee for Wolves, with a tendon problem in his knee. He was omitted from the club's 25 man squad in September and therefore may only return in the January transfer window.
• Adlene Guedioura is out until February with a broken leg.
• Wolves are sitting in the relegation zone and have only won twice this season, but have made life difficult for plenty of top competition. Manchester City lost a Molineux a week and a half ago, Manchester United needed 93 minutes to win at Old Trafford, and Wolves made Chelsea's 2-0 win uncomfortable at Stamford Bridge.

Match Facts

• Arsenal has won their last ten meetings with Wolves across all competitions.
• Wolves' last result against Arsenal was a 1-1 draw at Molineux on April 3, 1982.
• Their last win against the Gunners came fifteen tries ago, 3-2 at Highbury on September 29, 1979.
• Wolves spotted Arsenal a 2-0 lead in this fixture last year, thanks to the aforementioned own goals from Zubar and Craddock. Cesc Fabregas added a third before halftime; Andrei Arshavin later added a fourth, then Craddock scored in the correct net to ping one back in the 89th.
• Arsenal beat Wolves 1-0 at the Emirates in April, needing 94 minutes for Nicklas Bendtner to head home the winner from a Bacary Sagna cross.
• Arsenal won three midweek fixtures last season and drew two. They lost one midweek league fixture last year, 2-1 at Spurs, though that was a match postponed from a Saturday.

The Referee

• The referee is Mark Halsey.
• Last year, Halsey took charge of only one Premier League match; it happened to be Arsenal's 6-1 thrashing of Everton at Goodison Park on opening day.
• He was then diagnosed with lymphoma and underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat. He returned to officiating in March of this year and returned to the Premier League this season.
• The last time Halsey took charge of a Wolves match was a 2-0 loss to Birmingham City in the Championship on April 6, 2009. This was also the last time Halsey showed a red card.

Around the League

• Tuesday: Stoke City v. Birmingham City; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
• Tuesday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Sunderland; White Hart Lane, London
• Wednesday: Aston Villa v. Blackpool; Villa Park, Birmingham
• Wednesday: Chelsea v. Fulham; Stamford Bridge, London
• Wednesday: Newcastle United v. Blackburn Rovers; St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
• Wednesday: West Ham United v. West Bromwich Albion; Boleyn Ground, London
• Wednesday: Wigan Athletic v. Liverpool; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Wednesday: Everton v. Bolton Wanderers; Goodison Park, Liverpool
• Wednesday: Manchester City v. Manchester United; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester