How Arsenal could line up against Wolverhampton Wanderers

Jurrien Timber and Emile Smith Rowe are both working their way back from knee problems, while Thomas Partey recently underwent thigh surgery, but the latter two should make their returns in late December or early January barring any setbacks.

The trio have been joined in the infirmary by Fabio Vieira, who is serving a Premier League suspension but has now been ruled out for "weeks" due to a groin injury, which also required an operation.

However, no new worries have arisen from Wednesday's 6-0 Champions League crushing of Lens, which saw David Raya make his return in goal after Aaron Ramsdale's shaky display against the Spaniard's parent club Brentford.

Raya will make his Premier League return here and should be protected by an untouched backline of Takehiro Tomiyasu, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko, despite Ben White's return to fitness.

After going 31 games without scoring a non-penalty goal, Kai Havertz has netted twice from open play in his last two matches and has surely done enough to reprise his midfield role alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.

Odegaard, Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all made the net bulge in the first half on Wednesday evening, and Arteta's front three should also remain unchanged, although Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah are available should Arsenal err on the side of caution with Jesus.

Arsenal possible starting lineup: Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli