Arsenal travel to Molineux on Wednesday evening, aiming to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points.
The Gunners currently hold a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. Mikel Arteta’s side is looking to capitalise on a fixture rearranged from next month’s Carabao Cup final weekend—a showpiece event at Wembley where Arsenal will face City on March 22, 2026. Arsenal arrive in the Midlands looking to rediscover their “killer instinct” after a frustrating 1–1 draw at Brentford last Thursday, a result that allowed the chasing pack to close in.
For the hosts, the season has been historically difficult. Wolves sit rooted to the foot of the table with just nine points from 26 matches. However, Rob Edwards’ men gained some momentum with an FA Cup win on Sunday. Despite their struggles, they nearly stunned Arsenal in the reverse fixture in December, falling only to a 94th-minute own goal in a 2–1 defeat.
Wolves vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
- Referee: Paul Tierney
- VAR: Michael Salisbury
- Last Meeting: Arsenal 2–1 Wolves (13 Dec 2025), Premier League
Team News
Wolves
Rob Edwards has confirmed he will freshen up his starting XI following a physically demanding FA Cup tie on a difficult pitch at Grimsby. Notably, Hwang Hee-chan is ruled out for several weeks with a calf injury. Toti Gomes is also expected to miss out as he continues individual recovery from a hamstring problem sustained in the reverse fixture. Consequently, Edwards may hand returns to José Sá, Matt Doherty, and Hugo Bueno. Midfielder Andre will be assessed for a calf concern.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta provided a mixed injury update, confirming that captain Martin Ødegaard (knee) and Kai Havertz (muscle) are ruled out of tonight’s clash but are “very hopeful” to return for Sunday’s North London derby. Mikel Merino (foot) remains a long-term absentee. In positive news, Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White are expected to be available after recovering from a minor knock and fatigue, respectively. Bukayo Saka is set to start his second consecutive match after a successful return from a hip issue.
Form
Wolves
The hosts have found a slight lift recently, taking a point from Nottingham Forest before their cup success at the weekend. Notably, Wolves have lost 10 of their 13 Premier League home games this term (W1 D2). They have failed to score in 14 different league games this season, more than any other side. However, Edwards’ men have historically shown they can trouble leaders, having beaten Manchester City earlier this campaign.
Arsenal
The Gunners arrive as the division’s form team on the road. Notably, Arsenal have won nine of their 11 Premier League visits to Molineux, the highest win rate (82%) against any side they have faced at least 10 times away. Arteta’s men have scored in each of their last 36 meetings with Wolves. Furthermore, Arsenal have won all eight of their games played on a Wednesday across all competitions this season.
Predicted Lineups
Wolves Predicted XI: Sa; Mosquera, S. Bueno, Krejci; R. Gomes, A. Gomes, Mane, J. Gomes, H. Bueno; Armstrong, Arokodare
Arsenal Predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
How to Watch Wolves vs Arsenal?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 19:30 GMT.
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