Wolves v Arsenal Preview: Mick McCarthy Relishes Gunners' Challenge

Molineux, Saturday 1730 GMT

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS:
Mick McCarthy is charged with the task of bringing the Arsenal juggernaut to a shuddering halt this weekend, which won't be easy for a Wolves team with only one win from their last five games at Molineux.

So you would probably expect him to adopt a cautious approach. Not a bit of it. McCarthy has pledged to fight fire with fire as Arsenal roll into the Black Country unbeaten in 12 games and with 16 Premier League points out of a possible 18.

Wolves' bitter rivals West Brom took the peculiar step of resting their better players for games against the Big Four last season, to keep them refreshed for what they perceived asmore winnable matches.

It ultimately backfired as the club suffered relegation, and McCarthy is determined to attack Arsene Wenger's aristocrats head on in what will be Wolves' first game against the established order this season.

He said: "Who am I to suggest to thousands of fans that I'll be playing five or six players who aren't my strongest? think people know I'm a manager who believes we can get something from any game. Just because we're playing teams in the top four doesn't change that.

"Who is to say we can't beat Arsenal? There are loads of reasons to suggest we can't, but you put the team out to win and on our day, if we play as well as we can, I'd give us a chance against anybody."

Strategy: There has been a marked improvement in recent results for McCarthy's men and they will go into this game with confidence. They possess an aerial threat from set pieces that even troubled the masters of that particular strategy, Stoke, last weekend.

And, if McCarthy can find any weakness in the Arsenal defence, it will be their lack of height - a factor he will surely look to capitalise on. Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake will be restored as the forward double act and these are the games where they need to make their mark.

Injury Update: Chris Iwelumo, who started the game at Stoke last Saturday, has been ruled out for several weeks after injuring his foot. David Jones and Stephen Ward are still injured.

ARSENAL:
Wenger's sides have always revelled in their reputation for free-flowing football, but this season they are threatening to surpass themselves. No side in the Premier League currently comes close to Arsenal's prolific scoring rate, which has seen them plunder 51 goals in 18 matches and chalk up an average of more than three strikes per game in the league.

The threats come from all sides, too. Robin van Persie has been in stupendous form, helping himself to eight goals in his last 10 appearances, but this is far from a one-man show: Cesc Fabregas, Eduardo and even Thomas Vermaelen, a player Wenger signed during the summer to prevent goals rather than score them himself, are on course for healthy end-of-season returns.

It is enough to give Wolves' back four an unsettled night's sleep ahead of the game at Molineux, which represents a golden opportunity for Arsenal to make up ground on Chelsea and Manchester United as one or both of them will drop points in their own summit meeting at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Wenger said: "It's a big opportunity and the season is about grabbing the opportunities when they come. Whether you can take them or not is down to how you prepare for the game and that's what we try and do now.

"I am sure we will do well this season. We speak about the potential of the team and we know the potential of the team is good. But we need to keep our ambition, or attitude and humility - then we have a big part to play in this league."

Strategy: Arsenal's approach rarely changes, and particularly not when they are confronted with one of the Premier League's minnows. Having rested some first team regulars for the midweek thumping of AZ Alkmaar, Wenger will revert to his first-choice line-up in the west midlands, with Bacary Sagna - enjoying perhaps his finest season in English football - returning at right-back and Tomas Rosicky likely to be deployed on the right of the team's attacking trident.

The Gunners will rely on their familiar one-touch passing combinations to create space against Wolves' energetic midfielders, although the hosts should be wary of set-pieces, where William Gallas and Vermaelen have proved to be formidable threats this season.

Injury Update: Gael Clichy, Nicklas Bendtner and Denilson all remain sidelined by medium-term injuries, while Carlos Vela and Armand Traore - though back in full training following their own spells out - are not ready to feature.