Arsenal FC missed out on a golden opportunity yesterday to put some space between themselves and the other two teams that are vying for fourth place in the Premier League table. The Gunners fell at home to Crystal Palace on Easter Sunday 3-2, just hours after sixth place Manchester United put in what was arguably the worst performance of the post Sir Alex Ferguson era for them.
United are just two points behind the Gunners, but it remains to be seen if they still have the desire to avoid being the Europa League next season.
The fifth place side, Chelsea, can now leapfrog Arsenal for fourth with a win or a draw tonight. Therefore, not getting any points at home (where Arsenal have been dominant) versus the Eagles yesterday was disastrous for the Gunners.
Now the Gunners go, in the words of Willie Nelson, “on the road again” and that’s not a place where they have displayed good form this season. Arsenal could easily drop points again on Wednesday night when they travel to 10th place Wolverhampton Wanderers. Let’s take a look at the fitness situation for both sides.
Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has finished serving his two-match ban, meaning Shkodran Mustafi will likely go to the bench. Midfielder Granit Xhaka missed the loss to Palace, but mostly for precautionary reasons. Meanwhile the Serie A bound Aaron Ramsey is confirmed as out for this one.
The north London side will also be without their trio of long-term absentees Rob Holding, Danny Welbeck and Hector Bellerin. As for Wolves, they will once again have a clean bill of health, as has been the case most of the season.
Nuno is on a mission to grab that seventh place spot in the table, defining themselves as the best of the rest side in the Premiership. Wolves are currently 10th, but also just one point behind 7th place Everton.
Arsenal FC at Wolverhampton Wanderers (Premier League) FYIs
Kickoff- Wednesday Apr 24, Molineux Stadium 745 pm
Arsenal FC starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Form Guide: Arsenal LWLWW Wolverhampton DLWLD
Google Result Probability: Arsenal 39% Draw 28% Wolverhampton 33%
Odds via Coral: Arsenal win 2.45, Draw 3.4, Wolverhampton win 2.88
Prediction- Wolverhampton 3, Arsenal 2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.