Matheus Cunha injury decision made as Gary O’Neil rocked by suspension - Wolves predicted XI vs Arsenal

Gary O’Neil and his side will be keen to kick off the new campaign in style but face a mightily difficult task to do so, up against title chasers.

The Gunners missed out on winning the Premier League by merely two points last term, edged out by Manchester City. Mikel Arteta has been working hard to get his squad in tip-top shape to go one step better this season, with a strong start seen as a necessity.

Wolves will have to show Arsenal a great deal of respect, especially as this weekend’s clash is away at Emirates Stadium. That said, Wanderers often surprised against the division’s best in 2023/24, thriving when the pressure was on the opposition.

The Old Gold will take great confidence from doing the double over both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea last campaign, while one win also came against Man City. Draws were earned against Newcastle United and Aston Villa, too.

O’Neil’s squad is in a very different place to what it was this time last year, with several key players sold and others brought in. Pedro Neto and Maximilian Kilman are the big-name sales and come as big losses, but Rodrigo Gomes, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Pedro Lima have come in as positive acquisitions.

There are several selection dilemmas for this weekend’s season opener, particularly with the formation. O’Neil has experimented with both four-back and five-back shapes, so it’ll be interesting to see what he goes for against top opposition.

Wolves predicted lineup vs Arsenal (A)

Opting with a five-man defence, here’s the starting XI we reckon Wolves will adopt at the Emirates.

GK - Jose Sa

Sa has been linked with a move away from Wolves but remains at the club as the first-choice goalkeeper.

RWB - Matt Doherty

The experienced Irishman is likely to step in as Nelson Semedo is suspended for the first three matches of the season. Pedro Lima is also in contention.

CB - Yerson Mosquera

The Colombian has now been fully integrated into the Wanderers setup following last season’s successful loan at Villarreal. He could become a key player.

CB - Craig Dawson

Dawson’s aerial prowess and experience could be handy at the heart of defence. This is especially the case against Arsenal, one of the Premier League’s best teams from set pieces.

CB - Toti Gomes

Toti, often deployed as a left centre-back in a three, was quite the unsung hero last term. He deserves plenty of plaudits.

LWB - Rayan Ait-Nouri

The Algerian simply has to start whenever fit, it’s just a matter of where. In this case, the back five compliments Ait-Nouri at left wing-back.

CM - Mario Lemina

The new skipper will relish the challenge of facing title hopefuls on the opening day. Lemina brings so much energy to the Old Gold’s midfield.

CM - Joao Gomes

The Brazilian was excellent last campaign and will look to continue his progression during the season ahead. Gomes complements Lemina brilliantly.

RW - Hwang Hee-chan

Hwang, who remains at the club despite an attempted swoop from Marseille, was Wolves’ equal top scorer in 2023/24. He simply has to play.

LW - Rodrigo Gomes

The new signing impressed in pre-season and may have edged out the likes of Pablo Sarabia for a start. Matheus Cunha, meanwhile, is likely to make the squad but not the XI after returning to contract training midweek.

ST - Jorgen Strand Larsen

The Norwegian, who scored 13 goals in 37 La Liga games last term, is the chosen out-and-out striker for the season ahead.