Mikel Arteta: leading the charge at the top of the premier league table ahead of Wolves
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta delivered a measured, confident briefing ahead of Wednesday's Premier League visit to Wolves (Wednesday, ET). With his side sitting at the summit of the premier league table, Arteta addressed fitness news, the title race and fresh concerns about pre-match warmups as the Champions push continues.
Team news and fitness updates
Arteta offered encouraging updates on several squad members ahead of the midweek fixture at Molineux. Riccardo Calafiori has returned to training and "is feeling better, " with the manager hopeful he will be available for selection on Wednesday (ET). Ben White, who was substituted in the FA Cup tie because of fatigue and a hamstring tightness, has also trained and looks likely to be involved.
Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz remain on the comeback trail and will not be ready for Wolves, but Arteta said both are realistic targets for the upcoming league match on Sunday (ET). That staggered return gives the squad a chance to refresh across a congested run of fixtures: a game on Wednesday followed by another high-profile clash less than 72 hours later.
Arteta praised the performances of squad players who stepped up recently, noting that rotation has been useful to manage workload while keeping momentum across competitions.
Title race: confidence rooted in daily work
On the broader challenge of sustaining a title bid, Arteta framed his optimism on tangible evidence rather than expectation. "What gives me the confidence is what we have done up to now, every single day, " he said, pointing to preparation, consistency and team attitude as the foundation for the campaign so far. The manager reminded that seven and a half months of steady performance is a long period to maintain and that the players have earned their position at the top.
He refused to be distracted by the pedigree of rivals, focusing instead on the immediate task of outperforming Wolves. A win on Wednesday (ET) would extend the advantage at the summit and hand the side extra breathing room, but Arteta stressed the need to approach each match with purpose and attention to detail.
Wolves were acknowledged as a tough opponent under their current manager. Arteta knows the coach well and warned that recent history shows how difficult it can be to collect three points at Molineux. Still, he insisted that if his team executes its strengths with confidence, they will have a significant chance to win.
Warmup worries and preparation changes
Arteta revealed growing concern about a string of last-minute fitness issues that have occurred during warmups this season. Several players have suffered injuries or missed games after problems surfaced in the pre-match routine, prompting the coaching staff to reassess whether traditional warmups need altering or even scrapping for some fixtures.
He described the incidents as unusual but said they have made the staff more alert during the build-up to matches. The possibility of changing long-held routines is not taken lightly; the manager acknowledged the psychological and physiological roles warmups play. Still, the recent frequency of those incidents has opened a clear debate on whether current practices are the best way to prepare players for kickoff.
That introspection sits alongside practical management: if a player is changed moments before a game, the team plan must be adjusted quickly. Arteta suggested that these episodes have made the coaching group more adaptable, sharpening their preparedness for sudden, last-minute scenarios.
As the team heads to Wolves on Wednesday (ET), Arteta's message was straightforward: maintain the standards that have produced a position at the top of the premier league table, manage fitness carefully, and treat every match as a new, difficult test.
