Team news

Wolves preview
Wolves striker Chris Iwelumo has been ruled out of the home Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal.

The Scottish international suffered a recurrence of a metatarsal problem during his full top-flight debut at Stoke last weekend - although there is no repeat of the close-season fracture.

Last season's top scorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake will return to the starting line-up against Arsene Wenger's side.

Boss Mick McCarthy will have no regrets whatever the outcome and is determined to adopt an attacking approach.

The former Republic of Ireland manager said: "I won't be sat here on Saturday complaining 'we didn't have a go at them'.

"I won't be sat with a beer in my hand thinking 'we just let them just roll us over and tickle our belly'.

"I watched AZ Alkmaar at Arsenal, a fellow Champions League team, who over the last few years have won their league, have been fabulous and have some great footballers in there.

"Yet they got slapped completely when playing one up front, sitting back. They got played through, round, over, they just got mullered completely. We will try and play on the front foot."

Arsenal preview
Arsenal will again be without defender Gael Clichy (back) and striker Nicklas Bendtner (groin).

Left-back Armand Traore and forward Carlos Vela (both groin) are close to fitness but will not be included, and neither will midfielder Jack Wilshere (ankle) and goalkeeper Lukas Fabianski (thigh).

Brazilian midfielder Denilson (back) and England forward Theo Walcott (knee) should resume training following the international break, but centre-back Johan Djourou (knee) remains out.

Cesc Fabregas knows Arsenal must be "up for it" to keep their title challenge on track.

Wenger's men have the opportunity to put some pressure on leaders Chelsea and Manchester United, who clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with what would be a sixth win from seven league games.

Indeed were Arsenal - now unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions - to pick up another three points, it would move them, temporarily at least, above United on goal difference and within two points of Chelsea, who travel to Emirates Stadium at the end of November.

However, Gunners captain Fabregas knows unless the team are completely focused, they will face a real battle to get any sort of positive result at Molineux.

"We will have to be at our best as usual because today there are no small teams in the Premier League, everyone makes it difficult if you are not up for it, so we will have to be motivated to beat them," said Fabregas.

Wolverhampton 1-4 Arsenal

Last modified 09:51 09/11/09

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Arsenal are on course for a record-breaking ton of Premier League goals and it is the fear of a goal drought which is driving them on.

Arsene Wenger’s Gunners notched four more goals at Wolves to take their top-flight tally to 36 already in just 11 games.

No club has ever scored 100 goals or more in a Premier League season.

The closest any club has gone is Manchester United, who amassed 97 in 2000.

And the last team to break the three-figure barrier in the old Division One was Tottenham back in 1962-63 when they hit 111.

Arsenal have the record in their sights though after another emphatic victory as they went ahead at Molineux courtesy of two own goals.

But the priority for Emirates skipper Cesc Fabregas is finally lifting the club’s first silverware since the FA Cup in 2005.

And Spanish wizard Fabregas, 22, admits he is actually worried about the goals drying up.

“I think the scoreline flattered us as we had two cheeky goals at the beginning,” admitted Fabregas.

“Hopefully we will score 100 goals, but we will see.

“There will be a time when we cannot score goals and everyone will say we are crazy.

“So we just have to keep going and trying to do our best.

“We are trying to score goals but we have to be ready because one day it will not happen like that.

“It will be maybe not that easy and we will have to be patient.

“It is in that moment where we have to be strong.”

The Gunners went ahead at promoted Wolves as Ronald Zubar turned a Fabregas corner into his own goal in the 28th minute.

Eduardo’s chip then went in off Jody Craddock’s head to make it 2-0 in 36th minute.

The contest was effectively over by half-time as Robin van Persie’s clever touch set up Fabregas to score a classy third seconds before the break.

Home boss Mick McCarthy was sufficiently worried to change to a 4-5-1 formation for the start of the second half to stop Arsenal running riot.

But Andrey Arshavin struck with a low shot from the edge of the area before Craddock headed in a late consolation.

Fabregas now has nine goals for the season already but the midfielder is anxious to avoid any complacency among himself or his team-mates.

He added: “Maybe in other years I was getting in the box in the same positions but wasn’t scoring.

“Now because I am scoring it looks like I am playing better.

“But I don’t look at it like this and I don’t think I was at my best at Wolves.

“I know how to measure my performance and what I have to improve on.”

Arsenal’s swashbuckling form has prompted comparisons with the club’s 'Invincibles' team from 2003-04 which won the title and went unbeaten.

Wenger even believes the current side has more firepower than the class of 03-04 who scored 73 times as they were inspired by Thierry Henry.

But Fabregas said: “We don’t look at the Invincibles or whatever the name was.

“We are a young team and we are trying to do our best.

“We always try to look for a positive way to play football.

“We always look forward on the pitch and play one-twos in a positive way.”

Arsenal’s style and ethos has made them a favourite side for neutrals and surely the most attractive Premier League team to watch.

And Wenger is certainly enjoying seeing his side regardless of whether they get 100 goals or not.

The Frenchman said: “I don’t know if we can score 100 goals in a Premier League season.

“But what is possible is to continue playing the way we play and even to play better. The way we play football, the way we are organised and the way we go forward suits our players.

“I enjoy the way we play, I enjoy that the team expresses the collective play.

“We play with three strikers most of the time. We have kept our philosophy to pass the ball at a high pace in very tight areas. That has not changed, the basis of our philosophy has not changed.”

Wenger believes his side’s success this season reflects the growing maturity of his developing squad.

Defeats at Manchester United and Manchester City are the only real disappointments thus far.

And unlike in previous seasons, he is confident Arsenal will not be knocked out of their stride by direct tactics from the likes of Bolton and Blackburn.

He added: “What is good is that different teams try different styles and we manage to find solutions and it’s very good for us because we are not destabilised by the physical style.

“And we are not destabilised when a team drops back and every time we manage to find a solution and to score goals.

“I feel we have learned a lot because we have a lot of the players who played two years ago playing in the team now.

“I believe it is very important that we build the team together over several years.

“In the modern game you are not usually allowed to do this and that’s why I’m very happy when we play like a real team.”

Wolves: Hennessey 6, Stearman 6, Craddock 6, Berra 5, Zubar 4, Edwards 7 (Mancienne 80, 6), Henry 7, Milijas 6 (Jarvis 74, 6),  Castillo 6 (Kightly 65, 6), Ebanks-Blake 6, Doyle 7.

Arsenal: Almunia 6, Sagna 7, Vermaelen 7, Gallas 7, Gibbs 7, Diaby 6 (Song Billong 24, 6), Fabregas 7, Ramsey 7, Arshavin 7 (Nasri 74, 6), Eduardo 8 (Rosicky 70, 6), Van Persie 7.