After a strong Champions League win at Club Brugge in midweek, Premier League leaders Arsenal head into Saturday’s clash with bottom-placed Wolves looking to recover from recent league setbacks, including last weekend’s defeat to Aston Villa.

Speaking ahead of the match, Mikel Arteta acknowledged it represents an ideal chance to regain momentum.

“After any defeat you want to put it right straight away, and we did that by putting ourselves in a great position in the Champions League,” he said. “Now it’s about Wolves and getting back to the Premier League. After what happened against Aston Villa, it’s a massive opportunity for us to win and put ourselves in a good position.”

Gyökeres’ adaptation

Arteta also discussed Viktor Gyökeres’ form and whether adjusting to the Swedish striker has required tweaks to Arsenal’s system.

“I think both things have to merge,” he said. “We need to put the player in the best possible conditions to explode and fulfil his potential, but within our role and style of play there are things that have to be done.

“It’s also about connections and the players around him. Before his injury he was in a great place. It took him a while at the start because it’s a different league with different demands, and he had no pre-season. Now he’s starting to build momentum again. The goals will come and we’ll be very pleased with him.”

Injury updates

Arteta provided clarity on William Saliba’s fitness issues, admitting the defender’s current setback stems from previous problems.

“It was something quite small. It came from an ankle injury, and then he started to adjust the way he was running and overloaded another area, which is common,” he explained. “But eventually it became uncomfortable to keep training and playing, so we had to stop. He looks better, but we need to see if he’s ready to train with the team.”

Gabriel Jesus made his return from a knee injury during the win in Brugge, hitting the bar and forcing multiple saves after coming on as a substitute. Arteta dismissed suggestions his comeback could lead to a January sale.

“No, I don’t consider that—especially with the situation we have right now,” he said. “He showed his commitment immediately and the focus is on him being with us.”

On the limited opportunities for young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, Arteta added: “His attitude has been excellent. When he gets the chance, he must prove me wrong and show he deserves more minutes.”

He also praised Martin Zubimendi’s early impact.

“Very impressed,” Arteta said. “I know how difficult it is to come into this league. You have to earn the role. His range of actions and involvement is exceptional—defensively and offensively. The positions he takes, how he opens up teams, even on set-pieces he’s improving. He’s never satisfied, and that’s what makes him so good.”

No room for complacency

Looking ahead to Wolves, Arteta warned against underestimating a team fighting for results.

“In any Premier League match, especially against a team battling for points, you cannot take anything for granted,” he said. “I know their manager and how he’ll push his players. We know what we have to do.

“To win the title you’ll need over 90 points—that means winning a lot of games.”

Asked about combating complacency, he continued: “By showing the players exactly who Wolves are. A team in that situation has to react and show their teeth. That’s dangerous in this league. With the quality they have, complacency is not going to happen.”

Arsenal are seventh in the form table over the last five matches, but Arteta remained optimistic. “Hopefully we win tomorrow and then in the last two or three we’ll have been the best team in the form table. We try to win every game to be as consistent as possible.”

Despite recent stumbles, Arsenal remain two points clear of Manchester City, boast the best defensive record in the league, and are the second-highest scorers.

Asked whether he feels his side deserves more credit, Arteta said: “That’s not for me to judge. We’re in a strong position in all three competitions we’re involved in. The credit comes at the end of the season when we look at what we’ve achieved. To do that, we have to keep meeting our objectives every day.”