Wolves welcome extra 24 hours before Arsenal trip

Wolves today welcomed the extra 24 hours' preparation for the Arsenal game.

Mick McCarthy's men will spend extra time with their families at Christmas as the clash at the Emirates Stadium is now on December 27, instead of Boxing Day, due to the tube drivers' strike on the London Underground.

By the time they play in North London, Wolves will have had a week between games after Tuesday's 2-2 draw against Norwich, a relatively long stretch during the traditionally congested festive period.

The switch means Wolves have four days instead of five to prepare for their New Year's Eve trip to Bolton.

But the extra 24 hours after Christmas has been welcomed by manager McCarthy and midfielder Karl Henry, who has covered more miles than any other Premier League footballer this season.

Henry said: "Maybe it will be nice for everyone to stay at home. It gives everyone an extra day's rest and the game is still being played rather than being crammed into a busy fixture list next year.

"Either way we will prepare right and make sure we're ready."

Wolves have played well on their previous two visits to the Emirates but left without a point in each of the last two seasons.

McCarthy believes it will be another backs-to-the-wall challenge for Wolves.

He said: "We're always planning three or four games down the line and I went to watch them against Manchester City.

"I don't know if that's given me information or made me a bit more fearful of going to Arsenal, because they were awesome against City.

"Teams are bound to have it tough over Christmas, that doesn't bother me though.

"It doesn't always work like that though – we went to Liverpool on Boxing Day, expected to get spanked but we won."