Arsenal is back in the EFL Cup this Wednesday evening as they host Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have had a rocky relationship with this competition lately, having bypassed the first two rounds while Bolton has fought their way through Mansfield Town and Shrewsbury Town to set up this exciting clash.
After a tough match against Manchester City on Sunday, where Arsenal held on valiantly with just ten men, the team is looking to shift their focus. They fought hard for a 2-2 draw at the Etihad, dropping two points in heartbreaking fashion when John Stones scored a late equalizer. While their defensive tactics drew mixed reactions, it’s hard to fault them for adopting a solid approach against one of their title rivals.
Currently just two points behind City, Arsenal is aiming for a deeper run in a competition they’ve only won twice—most recently in 1993. They’re eager to avoid a repeat of last season’s early exit against West Ham in the fourth round. However, they haven’t won an EFL Cup match at home since 2021, losing their last two encounters against Liverpool and Bolton.
On the other side, Bolton Wanderers are hoping to shake off a long trophy drought, having last won a major trophy in 1958. They’ve had a decent cup run so far, winning their first two matches, including a penalty shootout against Mansfield. However, they haven’t made it past the third round since the 2011-12 season, when Arsenal eliminated them in the last 16.
Bolton’s form has been inconsistent this season, and they currently sit in 18th place in League One, with just two wins from six matches. Their last outing was a wild 5-2 victory over Reading, featuring a first-half hat-trick from Dion Charles, following a tough 4-0 loss to Huddersfield.
It’s been 12 years since these two teams last faced off—a goalless draw in the Premier League back in 2011-12. Before that, they met in the EFL Cup, where Arsenal came out on top. It should be an intriguing matchup!
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal's hard-fought draw against Man City came at a cost. By the end of the match, David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jurrien Timber were all dealing with cramps or knocks, and Leandro Trossard, following Declan Rice's lead, got himself sent off for kicking the ball away after already being booked.
Trossard will miss Wednesday's match due to his red card, which counts across all competitions, joining several others on the sidelines: Mikel Merino (shoulder), Martin Ødegaard (ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), and Kieran Tierney (hamstring). Additionally, on-loan goalkeeper Neto is cup-tied, leaving Mikel Arteta in a tough spot if Raya can’t play.
With options limited, Arteta might give Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly a chance to start. Remarkably, Lewis-Skelly picked up a yellow card before even making his Premier League debut in that thrilling match against City.
On the flip side, Bolton enjoyed a solid outing against Reading and came away without any new injury concerns. However, Jordi Osei-Tutu will miss the chance to face his former club as he’s still recovering from a knee injury.
He’s not the only one in the treatment room, as Carlos Mendes Gomes (Achilles), Klaidi Lolos (ankle), Gethin Jones (knee), and Will Forrester, who had a mishap on stairs, are also sidelined.
Interestingly, Bolton has only one player over 30 in their squad: former Burnley and Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield. His experience could see him stepping up into the starting XI.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Heaven, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; S Oulad M'Hand, Jorginho; Saka, Nwaneri, Sterling; Jesus
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Southwood; Toal, Johnston, Santos; Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Arfield, Dempsey, Schon; Adeboyejo, Charles
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 3-0 Bolton Wanderas
It’s unclear how much Mikel Arteta will rotate his squad for Wednesday’s match, but even a backup-heavy Gunners lineup should have little trouble against a wildly inconsistent Bolton side.
The Trotters have let in multiple goals in each of their last four games, so it’s unlikely they’ll suddenly crack the code for solid defending. Arsenal should be able to advance to round four without too much trouble.
