Arsenal

Pat McLaughlin, Just Arsenal.com, speaking to BBC Sport:

What a rollercoaster season.

Arsenal ended 2021 in style with five wins in a row, moved up to fourth and then collapsed to five games without a win.

But now we come up against in-form Wolves, currently two points below us and preparing to leapfrog us in the table. They have had four wins and a draw in their past five, including a win over Manchester United and a draw with Chelsea. They are a very tough nut to crack, especially at home, where their only defeat in the last seven was 1-0 to Liverpool.

The bare recent form stats make it look an easy win for the home team - and it doesn't help to think Wolves did the double over us last season.

But there are reasons for Mikel Arteta to feel more confident for our tough fixtures. Most of his young first-choice squad that notched up those five successive wins are available and they should all be refreshed after the break. He will hope they pick up where they left off, ignoring the awful form that saw us dumped out of both cups.

Wolves themselves have had problems with Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan out and Adama Traore going to Barcelona. Covid affected their squad for the FA Cup defeat against Norwich, and it's unlikely they'll all be back.

It is, though, a fact both teams are very strong defensively, so I am expecting a tight low-scoring affair, hopefully with ESR popping up with his usual late goal.

Wolves

Image source, Getty Images

Bruno Lage says Wolves can build momentum over the remaining months of the season.

Wolves face five games in the next 17 days against teams in the top half of the table and could overtake the Gunners with a win at Molineux.

"The way the team is playing gives us confidence. What the team did in December and January gives us the ambition to look up.

"My team has character. There are good things to conquer in the last three months."

Happy?

Liverpool make six changes to the side that beat Cardiff in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah is back in the squad after Africa Cup of Nations duty but is only on the bench, while Sadio Mane is not involved.

Alisson, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson, Fabinho and Thiago all come in, with January signing Luis Diaz given a first start.

Caoimhin Kelleher, Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino make way.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago, Jones, Diaz, Firmino, Jota.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers makes five changes to the side that were humiliated 4-1 by Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Kasper Schmeichel, Boubakary Soumare, Marc Albrighton, Dewsbury-Hall and Patson Daka all start.

Danny Ward, Caglar Soyuncu, Youri Tielemans, Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho drop out.

Jamie Vardy is not involved at all.

Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Justin, Amartey, Ndidi, Thomas, Albrighton, Soumare, Lookman, Maddison, Dewsbury-Hall, Daka.

A few returning Wolves players as they make five changes from their FA Cup defeat by Norwich.

Francisco Trincao returns from Covid and Romain Saiss is back after the Africa Cup of Nations.

Jose Sa, Marcal and Raul Jimenez also come back into the team. Joao Moutinho is out.

Jonny Castro Otto is on the bench, having not played since last March because of knee problems.

Hwang Hee-chan is also on the bench following an injury.

Wolves: Sa, Marcal, Coady, Kilman, Saiss, Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves, Podence, Trincao, Jimenez. Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Ait-Nouri, Silva, Jonny, Chiquinho, Toti, Hwang, Cundle.

Image source, .

Arsenal welcome back Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka from suspension and Cedric Soares from injury.

The trio replace Albert Sambi Lokonga, Emile Smith Rowe and Rob Holding, who are all on the bench.

Mohamed Elneny is on the bench after losing Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final with Egypt.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Tierney, White, Soares, Gabriel, Partey, Xhaka, Martinelli, Saka, Odegaard, Lacazette. Subs: Okonkwo, Smith Rowe, Holding, Pepe, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Nketiah, Awe.

Image source, .

New signing Luis Diaz makes his full debut for Liverpool in the Premier League.

Thiago is also in the side, while Mohamed Salah is on the bench.

Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans are on the Leicester bench. Jamie Vardy is not in the squad.

Image source, Getty Images

So who is Brendan going to drop?

Will Mo make the cut?

Team news in a few minutes...

Leicester City

Image source, Getty Images

Brendan Rodgers says he will need to “reinvigorate” his Leicester squad after a tough season.

The Foxes finished fifth in each of the past two campaigns, but have struggled for consistency in 2021-22 after a raft of injuries.

"We have been aggressive and hard to play against. And we have tried to embrace the challenge and play with identity.

"But this year has been tough and we need to reinvigorate the squad. Even when you are succeeding, success can bring a comfort.

"We are not one of the top squads who can take one out and bring someone else in. The summer is an important time for us."

Chris Sutton
Former Premier League striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Amazing interview for Brendan Rodgers to give, he sounded calm and composed but how this is going to pan out I really don't know.

He said to the written press, "that is why some of these players are not top players, they can't sustain it", that is a hammering. We have an idea of who some of these Leicester City players are and they have let Brendan Rodgers down.

James Maddison would be one player, if you look at his Leicester career this season and last, it is fits and starts. Brendan is a deep thinker, but what are the dressing room going to think about this attack on them? This is a civil war.

Leicester have finished in fifth place the last two season, just missing out on the Champions League, and won the FA Cup, there is an argument that they have overachieved. What is fair to say is that they have conceded a barrel load of goals from set-pieces and their numbers have not been good.

Rodgers has proven himself over a number of years and if Leicester sacked him, they would be looking for a Brendan Rodgers type to come in. When you attack your players like that, who know how it will end.

Liverpool are essentially playing for second place these days. They are just a point ahead of Chelsea but have two games in hand.

A win would put them 12 points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United too and consolidate their place in the top four.

Image source, BBC Sport

Most of the teams in action tonight are in the lower European/upper mid-table positions.

If Arsenal win they would move into fifth, above Manchester United.

But a Wolves win would take them above Arsenal (and Spurs) into sixth spot.

Leicester could go into the top half if they beat Liverpool.

Image source, .

Just the two games in the Premier League tonight:

Liverpool v Leicester City (19:45 GMT)

Wolves v Arsenal (19:45 GMT)

Lots to discuss beforehand! We'll have team news in around 15 minutes too.

Image source, Getty Images