Burnley V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, 13^th March – 15:00 GMT

Burnley

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: WLLLL

The Clarets are in desperate need of points but have been given the idealistic fixture to pick up maximum points as they host 17^th placed Wolves at Turf Moor. It’ a fixture they must win however, as this looks to be their easiest remaining home assignment. They will have to battle on without Steven Fletcher though, the clubs top goalscorer, but Burnley have been scoring goals of late, although they haven’t picked up a point in any of their previous four league games, which is a massive concern despite their apparent ability to regularly get on the score sheet.

Burnley’s performance at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday was pleasing in some respects, mainly just from an attacking point-of-view as Burnley had a good three or four chances to score, more than most sides get at the Emirates, yet they converted just one of them. However, a disturbing sight was just how easy Arsenal carved open that Burnley defence – the worst defence in the Premier League – and were Nicklas Bendtner not in such a wasteful mood, Burnley could have left London with a more emphatic defeat.

The clubs poor away form is there for all to see and will probably be what kills their Premiership status come the end of the season, having lost thirteen of fourteen away fixtures thus far, so the pressure is beginning to build every time Burnley take to the field in their home encounters as they now any dropped points will be costly, although even their home form is starting to desert them. In their last seven home games, Burnley have notched up just one, solitary victory with that coming in the form of a 2-1 win at home to West Ham. The euphoria at the club after that brilliant start has withered away, while the confidence of the players is almost stone dead, so it’s hard to see where Burnley will get their inspiration from as they have no recent results to be positive about.  

It’s their defence which has our alarm bells ringing, with goals being conceded in regular concessions, even at their beloved Turf Moor. Not since their 2-0 victory at home to Hull City, back in October, have Burnley kept a clean sheet in a home fixture, conceding in each of their previous seven games at home. Moreover, to add insult to injury, they were even beaten by the team rock-bottom of the Premiership in Portsmouth in their last home outing, which just goes to show how far Burnley’s tables have changed, with even their home form, what is a lifeline for them, rapidly diminishing.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LWLLL 

A familiar pattern is beginning to form; Wolves play out of their skin against their Premiership opponents, hit the wood work a few times before succumbing to the inevitable defeat. You would think backing against Wolves is easy money going by their recent run of results, but that hasn’t been the case as their performances of late have merited so much more than just defeat after defeat. There is little room for sympathy though as Wolves now drop even closer to the relegation zone, with only a superior goal difference keeping Wolves on safe ground. Defeat at Turf Moor, however, could see Wolves fall back into uncharted water, so it’s about time Wolves became clinical for once. 

Mick McCarthy must feel he and his hard-working Wolves team are cursed at the present moment in time after yet another valiant display on Saturday, only this time at home to the reigning champions, Manchester United. Wolves played so well that no-one would have bemoaned a Wolves win, which just about says everything you need to know, with a point was the least they deserved. Of course, as per usual, they came away with nothing, no points and zilch to show for their efforts as their unfortunate spell of results extends to three defeats in a row.

Surely a win is just around the corner as Wolves are playing some of the best football in the Premiership right now, and that’s us biting our tongue after earlier in the season rating Wolves as one of the poorest footballing sides in the league. Their last three games have been tough assignments on paper; two home fixtures with Chelsea & Man Utd and an away venture at Bolton. All of which Wolves should have scored a good few in but managed nothing in, once again. It’s not as if half-chances are going begging, it’s glaring missed, chances any other side would put away with their eyes closed, which does make you think that perhaps Wolves are just doomed, a club stricken with relegation fate and that their brief stint in the Premiership is coming to another abrupt end. 

If Wolves carry on where they left off; creating tonnes of chances and work hard, then a win will come eventually, perhaps even at Turf Moor as now is the ideal time to play a hapless Burnley. However, backing Wolves just seems too precarious so long as their baron run in front of goal continues, with their fruitless evening at Molineux on Saturday the third game on the spin where they hadn’t managed a goal. Add this to the fact that Wolves have failed to score in four of their previo9us six away fixtures and you’ll be forgiven for having reservations over a Wolves team ironically playing their very best football at the moment but still not reaping any rewards as a direct result.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

The draw was the only viable option as we couldn’t back either side with any great deal of confidence. In fact, with both teams enduring miserable losing runs, the draw looks a stunning bet as neither know how to win a game of football on present form, and while a draw probably wouldn’t be a bad result for either considering it would put an end to both sides losing ruts. If we had to pick one side then it would be Wolves simply because they are creating a lot of chances and it’s a just a case of when and not if they’ll score a good few in a single game. They’ve been simmering in front of goal for a while now, but will Turf Moor be the venue where Wolves boil over and unleash their forward wrath? We don’t think so as a stalemate is the call.

Match Odds:

Burnley – 2.38 Coral

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3.30 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Half-Time to finish in a Draw – 2.20 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Manchester United

Kick-Off: Saturday, 6^th March – 17:30 GMT

TV Coverage: ESPN

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: DLWLL

One of the more ominous fixtures in the calendar for Wolves is that of Manchester United’s visit to Molinuex. It’s a game which will certainly capture the imagination of the locals but it’s also one which does have a touch of nostalgia about it as United’s last visits to Molineux in a Premiership affair wasn’t a pleasant, no, instead it was a memorable occasion for those Wolves in Orange when on the 27^th August, 2003 Wolves beat the 18-time English champions 1-0. That’s been their only meetings with the mighty Red Devils since, so that victory seven years means Wolves are unbeaten at home against Man Utd and in fact hold a 100% record over one of the greatest teams in English football history.

Mick McCarthy wont hold fond memories of the reverse meeting with Manchester United though, after that infamous night where the former Republic of Ireland coach fielded a team of Wolves reserves in a fixture he, and apparently the rest of the squad, believed was one they had absolutely no chance of getting anything from. The club were consequently fined for what we felt was a joke of a decision but one that was justifiable in that this is a 38 game season, where tactics are a huge part of winning and surviving, and the option to rest any number of players should be at the discretion of the manager, but that’s a long rant we’ll leave for another day.

Will he field a stronger side on Saturday – Certainly, but does he honestly think his squad, of whom he clearly underrates by the sound of it, can overhaul the reigning English champions at Molineux – Certainly, and so do we surprisingly. Their recent displays would suggest a big result in the offing and whom better than Manchester United to suffer their wrath. The stumbling block, and it’s a huge one in football terms, is Wolves just can’t seem to win the games where they dominate and play by far and away the better football. They were dogged at Bolton at the weekend, hitting the woodwork on numerous occasions but leaving The Reebok with zilch. The same happened in their last home fixture when they lost 2-0 to Chelsea, Undeservedly we must add.

Wolves have little problems carving open what was a vulnerable Chelsea defence at the time and they could have yet more success in that area against a shaky United defence. Sticking the ball in the net though is an art Wolves have yet to master, with their baron spell in front of goal now two games long. It’s nothing to be overly concerned about but their failure to score at Bolton last Saturday was the thirteenth time they had failed to do so this season. It’s been an ever present thorn in Mick McCarthy’s side that his Wolves side, one which do create plenty of wonderful chances, simply can’t put the ball in the net on a more regular basis. 

Manchester United

League Position: 2nd

Recent Form: WWDLW

The United camp will be in a buoyant mood after their jubilant weekend. While the Carling Cup does little to turn on the majority of England, Manchester United were certainly the proud owners of a new trophy last Sunday when they came from behind to beat Aston Villa in the final at Wembley. Sir Alex Ferguson will have high hopes of attaining plenty more silverware this season, with the Premiership being his top priority, and, if that’s to be the case, surely only a win will be acceptable at Molineux this coming Saturday. 

It was that man again, Wayne Rooney, who stole the show at Wembley when he fired up yet another header, his sixth header in eight games I believe, to the Carling Cup title and United’s first silverware for the season. While their performance on the whole wasn’t great, with defensive cracks apparent, the success should be all that matters and it will hopefully be the platform to bigger and better things this season. At least that’s what the United fans are thinking.

It’s back to business now though, real business, no fancying around in a competition which we honestly believe lost it’s mojo decades ago. The league is every English sides bread and butter and the United camp must get straight back to doing what only they know best, winning league games. However, while their last two competitive fixtures have been ones they’ve thoroughly enjoyed; Winning 3-0 at home to West Ham in the league and 2-1 in the Carling Cup against Aston Villa, their recent away outings have been nightmares. On their previous two away ventures United have failed to win, with Man Utd’s only away win in four coming at the Emirates against Arsenal.

As the old adage goes though, ‘You’re only as good as your last game’ and if that’s to be believed then United fans are in for another long day. The last time Fergie took his troops to battle away from base camp Old Trafford they were beaten in a resounding manner. Everton gave them a right good hiding at Goodison just a fortnight ago, winning 3-1, and it intriguing from a neutrals perspective to see just how well, if well at all, United respond in their very next away test. They are fortunate in that their next away assignment is an easier one than their last but if the Red Devils don’t turn up the heat on Wolves then it’s them who could be left with burnt fingers.

Match Verdict: Manchester United to WIN – 1.35 Expekt

This is us playing safe really on the basis that while United did lose on their last outing, they actually know how to win a game of football whereas their opponents don’t. Despite winning just one of their last four away from home, United have still won just as manager games on the road as they haven’t; Winning seven of fourteen away fixtures. Wolves, however, while their best stuff has come at Molineux, just don’t seem capable of mustering a win of this calibre. They did, though, put Tottenham to the sword only a few weeks ago at home when etching out a 1-0 victory, but while they proven a difficult side to overcome at home this season, they still look inept on paper. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Wolves enjoying large periods of this game, creating plenty of chances, hitting the woodwork on a couple of occasions before losing 1-0. It’s been that sort of season for Mick McCarthy, whereas his opposite number has just enjoyed a cup winning weekend and we expect his good fortunes to continue.

Match Odds:

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 11.00 Boylesports

Draw – 5.00 SkyBet

Manchester United – 1.35 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Dimitar Berbatov FGS – 4/1 SkyBet

Bolton Wanderers V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, 27^th February – 15:00 GMT

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LDLDL

Relegation threatened Bolton go hunting for their first win six games when they entertain Wolverhampton Wanderers at The Reebok stadium in a fixture they have every chance of winning. Their form, though, heading into this meeting with Mick McCarthy’s Wolves isn’t great, not winning in five games, but four of their last five league games have been away fixtures, while Bolton have lost just one of their last six at home in the league, so don’t be too disheartened by their poor recent form and perhaps we should be more encouraged by their more cent efforts back at The Reebok.

It’s fair to say that Bolton are in a sticky situation in regards to their position in the Premier League table and their recent lapse in form. Not since the end of January have Bolton won a league game, while they’ve only managed five wins all season. With so few wins it’s unsurprising that the club are so far down the table, while only time will tell if the appointment of Owen Coyle was a correct one. They are playing much better under Coyle, and by that we mean they’re more attractive on the eye – something the fans demanded after years of torment under Gary Megson, the fans description of events at Bolton and not ours. However, whereas Gary Megson’s aggressive style of play with Bolton sometimes forced his way into the points jar, Owen Coyle’s graceful preference doesn’t seem to be getting Bolton very far, with just one win under his belt thus far.  

Since Coyle took over the reigns from Gary Megson, Bolton have picked up just five points from a possible thirty. They have had some tough fixtures mind, most of them away from home in fact, but while we could excuse them for not picking up as many points as they perhaps should of, the fact remains that defeats can have huge implications and the morale of any dressing room and that’s a big concern for Bolton who haven’t won any of their last five in the league. It’s a run which will only get worse with every bad result,. On Saturday, though, Bolton have a golden opportunity to end their drought with a home against an average Wolverhampton Wanderers side. If Bolton are to build up ahead of steam then they need a quick victory and the arrival of Mick McCarthy’s Wolves’ represents the perfect opportunity to jump straight on the road to redemption.

If we’re brutally honest, Bolton simply cannot afford to drop a single point in this fixture. This looks to be one of their easiest games left to play as they have some tough remaining fixtures left to play. Wolves have an average squad, with very few players standing out as Premiership quality, so Bolton need to put them to the sword on Saturday. Victory on Saturday could do wonders for team morale and it could be the platform for a survival push. However, lose this fixture and Bolton must surely be serious relegation candidates.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 16th

Recent Form: DDLWL

Last week Mick McCarthy and the unenviable task of somehow getting a result against the current Premiership leaders, Chelsea. It was a game where most, us included, thought Wolves were no-hopers, that Chelsea would steamroller their way past Mick McCarthy’s side at Molineux, although that was far from the case. Wolves took Chelsea apart at the back and actually found good goalscoring opportunities fairly easy to come by. However, their flaw on Saturday, what has been their Achilles hell for the entire season, was their inability to convert the many chances they did create, with some appearing clear cut. Nevertheless, the performance, against what is the best team in England judging the league table, was very pleasing for Mick McCarthy and he and Wolves will now try their luck against a team more on their level in Bolton Wanderers.

Considering Wolves have won just two away games all season, it’s hard to imagine thembeing victorious on Saturday, despite Bolton shaping up as a more feasible challenge. However, the slim two victories Wolves have enjoyed this season are two more than some teams have managed this season, so perhaps somewhere in their locker there is a match winning performance waiting to be found. On the same token, though, Wolves have fallen to three defeats in their last four away ventures; losing at Liverpool (2-0), Manchester United (3-0) and Birmingham City (2-1). The latter game, however, was yet another encounter where Wolves deserved far more than the zilch they got, with Wolves actually sitting on a 1-0 lead for the majority of that game before two late strikes from Kevin Philips. That was the last occasion Wolves went travelling in the league and it remains to be seen how the players will respond to that bitter defeat.

To our dismay, this Wolves side, one which doesn’t boast too many quality players at first glance, do actually know how to create chances, decent ones as well. However, actually sticking that round we like to call a ball through those white sticks is an art Wolves haven’t exactly mastered as of yet. Their tally of eleven away goals isn’t the worst, but it’s far from ideal. But, like music to the ears of Wolves supporters, their team have scored three goals in their last two away outings,so perhaps Wolves are slowly beginning to get into their stride and perhaps we should expect a few more goals from Wolves in their upcoming outings.

Credit where credits due; Wolves have faired so much better in this league then we could ever of imagined at the start of the season. They’ve been a match for most teams this season, which really shouldn’t be the case when you breeze through their list of squad members as neither stand out as anything special. However, the problem with Wolves is they just don’t know how to win a game of football. It’s a terrible trait, the worst in fact, and one which will scare all the punters away from backing them. The plus point is they have already won a league fixture in February, that being a sublime 1-0 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur, but they’ve now gone over three months without a win on the road and we’re having difficulties believing that Wolves will end their poor run this Saturday by beating a desperate Bolton side at The Reebok.

Match Verdict: Bolton Wanderers to WIN – 1.95 Boylesports

In the battle of the Wanderers, will Wolves be found ‘wandering’ once again? Well, we certainly think so, or would like to think so. We won’t be touching the game if we’re completely honest, but if we had to have a wager on either side then it would be Bolton purely because they have the potential, match winners if you like, in their squad to win a game of this magnitude and should come on strong at The Reebok. While Bolton have only played at The Reebok once this month; home is certainly where the heart is as far as Bolton are concerned, with the vast majority of their 23 points coming from home games. So, surely, just surely, they will bolster their tally on Saturday, boost their cause, with a much needed win over a Wolves side in close proximity to themselves.

Match Odds:

Bolton Wanderers – 1.95 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 4.50 SkyBet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Bolton Wanderers to WIN to NIL – 3.25 BlueSquare

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Chelsea

Saturday, 20^th February – 15:00 GMT

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: LDDLW

Wolves fans will be surprisingly optimistic about their teams chances on Saturday as they welcome league leaders Chelsea to Molineux knowing that they beat Tottenham Hotspur in their previous fixture. Very few gave them much hope of winning that game, which does include us, but they did, although while they may have bags of optimism after that scalp, Chelsea will probably prove a step too far for Mick MCCarthy’s men. 

Mick McCarthy won’t care in the slightest where the points come from just that they do. However, even he will admit that beating Tottenham Hotspur in their last fixture, a side challenging for the top four, is a sublime result and a credit to his players and staff. It was also a league double over Tottenham after Wolves earned a 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane a few months ago. However, while the result did give the players something to brag about, the most important factor was the three points lifted the club out of the bottom three and onto safe ground, with Wolves now a point above the drop zone. On the same token, however, defeat on Saturday, one which is expected, would leave Wolves vulnerable to dropping back into the relegation zone once again.  

If we’re completely honest, Wolves are fairing a whole lot better than we initially expected and the credit has to go to the players and the manager. However, the problem which is there for all to see is that Wolves don’t pick up enough points in a block basis, which, in other words, means they simply aren’t consistent enough. They do, without a shadow of a doubt, try their utmost in games and give 100% for the cause, but Wolves are a side prone to lengthy spells without picking up too many points, whilst they’ve only managed back-to-back wins once this season.

Scoring is also a big cause for concern for Mick McCarthy as his forward line looks extremely blunt and predictable, with basically Kevin Doyle leading the line on his lonesome. The Irishman is battle-hardened and does work his socks off but he will need plenty of support against a strong Chelsea defence. After all, Wolves aren’t even averaging one-goal-a-game at home this season. On just three occasions have they scored two or more goals at Molineux, while they’ve failed to even find the net in six of their thirteen home league fixtures. It’s a statistic which won’t go down well with wolves support but it’s a statistic which could stretch further after the visit of table-topping Chelsea.  

For Wolves to even stand half-a-chance of nicking a point in this fixture, Mick McCarthy will need to be far more adventurous then he has been in recent weeks. He prefers to play with a lone striker as he likes to pack the midfield. However, that looks a catastrophic tactic against a strong Chelsea midfield, one which can overrun just about any midfield in the world. He needs to go with two up front and use the wings, especially now that Chelsea don’t have Ashley Cole at full-back. The full-back areas are where Chelsea could be exposed and it’s an area Mick McCarthy will need to look into as a possible Chelsea weak spot.

Chelsea

League Position: 1st

Recent Form: WWDWL

It’s back to the drawing board for Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea as they fell to just their fourth defeat of the season when losing 2-1 at Goodison Park a little over a week ago. It was a really poor performance from a usually consistent Chelsea, even on the road, but that was their fourth away defeat of the campaign and while Wolves represents an easy enough assignment on paper, Chelsea will still need to have their wits about them and apply themselves in the proper, professional manner if they are to regain that winning feeling at the first time of asking. 

Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea were given a dose of the blues against Everton in their last league fixture, falling to a bitter 2-1 defeat, It was a game Chelsea were second best in for most parts, which isn’t something you hear a lot about Chelsea, and they duly got they deserved which was nothing. While they did briefly threaten, even taking the lead midway through the first half, Everton were by far and away the superior side while Chelsea remained relatively lethargic throughout, spending the majority of the second period on the back foot. It was actually a worring sight as we’ve not seen the Chelsea midfield overrun and out battled like that for quite some time. However, Wolves is arguably the perfect opponent to exact some domineering tactics in the midfield and regain some of the confidence that might have been lost with that disappointing defeat and poor display.

They did respond well though, when winning 4-1 at the weekend against Championship side Preston, although even then they were made to work far harder for the win then they should have. Cardiff even took a 1-1 draw into half-time with them, which just goes to show that perhaps the Everton defeat is still hanging over them. They did eventually get their act together and were comfortable winners come the final whistle, but they weren’t at their convincing best once again so perhaps Chelsea aren’t quite worth their short odds despite the inferiority of their opponents.

Still, while there are small niggle of concerns surrounding Chelsea at this moment in time, we mustn’t forget who they are playing and that Carlo Ancelotti still possess some of the worlds best players. Frank Lampard will look for an improved performance in himself after disappointing at Everton while Didier Drogba has been a right handful in just about every game he’s featured in this season and will surely cause a Wolves defence which has conceded seven more than they’ve scored at home all sorts of problems.

Match Verdict: Chelsea to WIN – 1.36 Ladbrokes

While Chelsea haven’t been at their best of late, probably the worst we’ve seen them for quite some time actually, they should still have far more in the tank to see off an average Wolves. The Chelsea midfield does need to show a lot more vigour in the centre of the park mind, and they will need to stamp their authority by keeping the ball for large periods of the game. Wolves will give it their all just like they always do but Chelsea have too many quality players on the pitch to oppose them against what is a weak Wolves side which will do well to score against Chelsea.

Match Odds:

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 11.00 Bet365

Draw – 5.50 BlueSquare

Chelsea – 1.36 Ladbrokes

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Chelsea to WIN to NIL – 2.10 BlueSquare

Birmingham City V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sunday, 7^th February – 13:30 GMT

Birmingham City

League Position: 8th

Recent Form: DWDLD

Finally… After fifteen games, twelve of which were Premiership fixtures, Birmingham fell to defeat as Chelsea ended the clubs most impressive run in it’s history by beating Birmingham 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, just over a week ago in what was a comfortable evening for the London outfit. However, that defeat was so nearly followed up with another when they went mere minutes away from falling to their second defeat in quick succession at home to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, eventually drawing 1-1 via an injury time equaliser. The defeat to Chelsea has perhaps got the Birmingham squad rocking but they have a very easy assignment on Sunday when they aim to make a return to winning ways by welcoming the only team that finished above them in The Championship last season – Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Alex McLeish didn’t have much luck in January, with Birmingham not managing a win that month and several of their bids for some high profile individuals being turned down by various clubs. The Scotsman has quickly come to the conclusion that Birmingham aren’t as strong in the final third as he would like. However, he could only watch on with despair as bids for Ryan Babel & Roman Pavlyuchenko got rejected by Liverpool & Tottenham respectively. To be fair, it wasn’t surprising that McLeish did target some forwards as Birmingham, despite previously enjoying a glorious unbeaten run of twelve games in the league, have looked very weak up top in front of goal, with the last time Birmingham scored two or more in a Premiership fixture coming back in December when they beat Blackburn 2-1 at St. Andrews. They have since failed to surpass the one goal marker in their last six league games and their finishing on Sunday against Spurs was the evidence to back up their poor goalscoring antics this season.

Although their unbeaten run did come to an end a little over a week ago, Birmingham are still undefeated at St. Andrews since the 26^th September, 2009 when they lost 2-1 to Bolton. They haven’t lost a league fixture in front of their home fans in eight games; Winning 4, Drawing 4. However, although this home run of theirs is still alight, they haven’t won at home since the middle of December, drawing their last three home fixtures. Then again, all were against stiff opposition; Chelsea (0-0), Man Utd (1-1) & their latest being Tottenham Hotspur (1-1). All three draws would look worthy results on anyone’s results list but Wolves are one of the weakest teams in the league and questions will be asked of their mental toughness were they not to win on Sunday as doubts will arise over whether Birmingham are still feeling the affects of their Chelsea heartache. 

On face value, and the way Birmingham have gone about their business for most of this season, this should be a home win, although we don’t think it will be a walk in the park as Birmingham don’t win games comfortably. We’ve mentioned this fact, or run, so many times and until it changes we won’t stop mentioning it as it’s a possible moneymaker – All of Birmingham’s nine victories in the league have been by a 1 goal margin, with six being 1-0 wins. That’s a staggering statistic as you could of made a fortune betting on Birmingham to win by one goal this season. Also, Birmingham did beat Wolves 1-0 at Molineux earlier in the season… We think a predictable pattern has been formed!

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LLLDD

This losing trend of theirs has come to end and has been halted by a pair of draws, two decent ones as well. Mick McCarthy will pin his hopes of his sides draws with Liverpool & Hull City building some momentum as they will need plenty of it heading to St. Andrews. The incentive though, as if they needed one with the club so perilously close to the relegation zone, is to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of Birmingham back in November when they lost 1-0 at Molineux. However, that defeat catapulted Wolves into winning three of their following four league games and they’ll be hoping a win over Birmingham will send them on their way onto another point baring run.

Wolves have had to work damn hard in their recent outings, frustrating Liverpool at Molineux in a goalless draw and then giving Hull a good scare at The KC last Sunday, earning a 2-2 draw. The draw wasn’t the best of results as it was a game they could of won on paper, but it did, nevertheless, add a vital point to their cause and it does mean Wolves are now unbeaten in two, which could be the start of a prosperous run, and so long as they avoid defeat on Sunday, Wolves will equal their longest unbeaten run this season of three games with at least a point in this contest. 

The stumbling block, when deciding whether or not to have a punt on Wolves, is just where and how their goals will be scored. Their strikers simply aren’t cut out for the Premiership, even Kevin Doyle who has been their shining light this season, and this has been evident all season. The Wolves’ have scored just 19 league goals this season, averaging under a-goal-a-game and their two goals at Hull last Sunday ended a four match run without scoring a league goal. However, their goals on Sunday weren’t without a bit of good fortune, with their first being a freaky own goal and their second coming from the spot. So, in reality, Wolves still haven’t scored from open play in over 450 minutes of Premiership football.

We feel it’s asking too much of Wolves to win at St. Andrews this Sunday as we can’t see them scoring to make this a competitive affair. Their best option is playing for the draw, but they won’t do that as they will feel this is a fixture they have every right of winning. However, Birmingham have one of the leanest defensive records in the league, home and away, and it will take some doing outscoring Birmingham on their own patch. Still, we mustn’t forget Wolves did produce one of the shocks of the season when they beat Tottenham 1-0 at White Hart Lane, so, miracles can happen?!

Match Verdict: Birmingham City to WIN – 1.85 Expekt

We don’t like backing draws unless it’s too close to call and we wouldn’t feel comfortable wasting any money on a Wolves punt so Birmingham get the nod to make a brisk return to winning ways at Wolves’ expense. We think it will be close, with another one goal margin victory perhaps on the cards for the home side, but we can’t see Wolves breaking down a tough and robust Birmingham defence, and then sticking it past one of the goalkeepers of the season, Joe Hart, and so the preference is for Birmingham City of whom don’t score too many goals themselves but one goal on Sunday really should be enough to see off a weak looking Wolves.

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 1.85 Expekt

Draw – 3.50 Boylesports

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 5.00 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Birmingham City to WIN by 1 Goal – 3.60 Bet365

Hull City V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

Hull City

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LLDDL

There will be several must win games between now and the end of the season for Hull City but none perhaps more so than this fixture with Wolves at The KC. Winnable fixtures don’t come around too often if you’re a Hull fan and this fixture with Wolves is just about the easiest they’ve have to put three vital points on the board. However, Hull’s form heading into this must win game is dreadful, having not won in the league for nine games and going a whole two months without a Premiership victory.

For Hull to stay up this season they will need to notch up a handful of victories at the KC stadium, home of the Tigers, and this does appear their easiest remaining home fixture of the season. It’s also a fixture they just have to win if they are to harbour any season survival ambitions as the task looks a tough assignment for Hull considering they’ve looked a lost side since the season kicked into life. They have registered just four league wins since August, the lowest amount of wins (a shared honour), a statistic which just reinforces how significant getting a win this weekend is. 

The problem for Hull is that they couldn’t hit a barn door at present – simple as that. Their best goal haul in recent weeks was scoring two at Bolton, just the fifth time they has surpassed two goals in a game all season. That rare surge of goals is their only positive goal-baring game since November, and the Tigers have managed a lethargic three goals since the beginning of December, that’s three goals in eight games. That’s a dire goal ratio, probably the worst I’ve seen since Derby were strutting their stuff in the Premiership back in 2008. However, you would have to fancy their chances of at least bolstering what is a ridiculous goal tally at home to a Wolves team which has kept just two away clean sheet thus far.  

The basis equation in football is you need to score to stand any chance of winning, and scoring isn’t something Hull are much good at, merely adequate. However, Wolves are on a plate for them to go out and enjoy themselves in front of goal but they haven’t found the net, neither home nor away, in over 360 minutes of Premiership action and that will only have an adverse affect on the confidence of their strikers. Still, there will not be an easier fixture for them for the remainder of the season and we think they’ll just edged this one.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: WLLLD

To be fair, the same rule applies to Wolves in that this game with Hull is a must win as it’s one of their easiest remaining fixtures of the season. Plus, it’s a game that’s certainly winnable and three points would do Wolves the world of good as the relegation zone beckons. Their confidence levels should have risen a few levels after their midweek results; a 0-0 draw with Liverpool, so perhaps Wolves are the team to be on and not a hapless Hull City. 

Wolves performed brilliantly on Tuesday night in nicking a point against Liverpool. We watched that game from start to finish and it was hard to recognise which side were the five time European winners as Liverpool were well below par while Wolves performed far better than expected. A point was a fabulous result as it end a run of three straight defeats for Wolves in the league. However, it still didn’t hide the fact that they haven’t scored a league goal since the middle of December when they beat Burnley 2-0 at home. They’ve gone four league games without a goal, aiming to surpass the goalscoring lows of Hull it would seem, and just like Hull that’s a huge negative for any potential punter,

If we’re completely honest, we can’t see Wolves winning this game and we think they’ll do well to take a point away from the KC stadium. Throughout the course of the season they’ve been a poor away outfit, with a couple of miracle results still not managing to hide their apparent away flaws. In ten away games thus far, Wolves have avoided defeat just four times, losing six of ten. They have also lost three of their last four away games in the league, although all three were to ‘Big Four’ teams. Still, it’s a tall order for Wolves but it’s not impossible by any stretch of the imagination.

Match Verdict: Hull City to WIN – 2.30 Boylesports

Neither side can afford to pass up this opportunity but home advantage has swung it for us as we plump for a home win. Hull’s form at The KC will be crucial in how their fare this season in terms of staying up or being relegated. They’ve struggled for the majority of the season, winning just four games. However, all four did come on home soil and you’d bet your life on Phil Brown getting his squad fired up for this encounter as it is a six pointer if we ever seen one. Hull will, however, need to locate the Wolves goal, Which is a big ask in itself.

Match Odds:

Hull City – 2.30 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3.25 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Hull City to WIN to NIL – 4.00 totesport

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Liverpool

Tuesday, 26^th January – 19:45 GMT

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LWLLL

Wolves will be hoping to bounce back from their disappointing draw in the FA Cup with Crystal Palace by snatching some points away from Liverpool. Molineux will be the setting, an ideal setting for Wolves fans, but Mick McCarthy’s side have struggled to make home their own this season and, with Wolves already losing more than half of their home fixtures thus far, surely there can’t be too many fancying their chances in this contest.

Mick McCarthy rang the changes on Saturday as Wolves took on Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup. McCarthy made seven changes in all, almost a completely different side to the one that lost 2-0 in their last league outing at home to Wigan Athletic. A lack of chemistry between the players did tell as Wolves had to come from behind, TWICE, to salvage a draw and keep their FA Cup dreams alive. However, it does now mean that Wolves have an extra fixtures, a replay at Palace, just over the horizon and that could be a distraction for the players and leave McCarthy having to field a stronger side for the replay. 

The biggest problem we’ve noticed, at least from a far, is that Wolves haven’t been scoring enough goals, and freely. This is especially the case at home in games they should be asserting themselves in. With eleven home games completed, Wolves have only managed nine goals at Molineux and the fact they’ve failed to score in five of those eleven is a major concern. The strikers they have at the club haven’t made the cut in the Premiership, with Kevin Doyle & Ebanks-Blake being their main strikers but yet both seemingly appear out of their depth, with Doyle having 5 league goals to his name and Blake just the one.

Another negative, and there does seem to be a few too many, has been the results and overall peformances from Wolves against the ‘elite teams’ shall we say. Man City (1-0), Arsenal (1-4), Chelsea (4-0), Man Utd (3-0) & Man City (0-3). All were defeats, while some included some extremely poor displays from Wolves. There were, however, occasions where Wolves did play OK; their game with Man City being one of them, but they’ve ended up losing games even though they performed to a satisifactory level, and that’s a sign of a club destined for trouble. Moreover, against the so called ‘Big Four’ this season, Wolves have conceded thirteen goals in four games and that’s alarming as a rejuvenated Liverpool come to town to pay the Wolves a visit.

Liverpool

League Position: 6th

Recent Form: LWWDW

Liverpool gave their Champions League aspirations a big boost when they recorded a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, one of their main top four contenders, at Anfield. Rafael Benitez, who has been under fire throughout most of the campaign, has now guided his side to a four match unbeaten run and he will surely be expecting to extend that run to five on Tuesday night, although a draw simply won’t do as the Reds’ are still playing catch up in sixth position. A million miles away from where they expected to be at the start of the season. 

Because Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup by Reading a fortnight ago, Rafa & Co had the weekend off, whereas Wolves were in action against Crystal Palace. Mick McCarthy did rest a whole host of first team players but will that be enough to bridge the gulf in class between the two sides. Well, Wolves performed extremely well when the pair met in December at Anfield, although their efforts were in vein come the end as Liverpool won 2-0. However, Wolves were far from disgraced in that meeting, meaning Liverpool didn’t play well. They did, however, do just enough to earn all three points but they were fortunate on two levels. The first being their home advantage while the second was the sending off of Stephen Ward midway through the second period. Although the second part was out of their hands, Liverpool will have to do without a large home support and that could be a huge factor.

To be perfectly honest, anything other than a comfortable win would be a poor showing. They are expected to win this at a canter and they should do just that considering they have plenty of good form behind them. At least in the league. Their exit in the FA Cup would have hurt the players but they bounced back with a tremendous win over one of their main rivals for the season in Tottenham, beating Harry Redknapp’s side 2-0 on the night in a game where Liverpool’s players put in one of their biggest shifts of the season. It was the first time in a long while where the players actually worked as a team and battle hard even without their talismanic duo of Steven Gerrard & Fernando Torres. However, the boost for Liverpool fans is that the former, Gerrard, could play some part in Tuesday nights affair as the England international has made a return to training.

There is no excuse for Liverpool for not winning this encounter. They are superior in quality and have by far the better form heading into Molineux’s clash. A four match unbeaten run consisting of three wins and a draw may not seem a lot for a club like Liverpool but they’ve been short of confidence for the best part of the season and this recent vein of form should be the momentum they need to kick on and push the likes of Tottenham & Aston Villa for a top four finish. The possible return of captain Steven Gerrard will be a welcome boost but will it be enough to shake off their poor away record this season? In their last outing they could only manage a 1-1 draw at Stoke City, albeit suffering a late equaliser, but the alarming statistic is that Liverpool have won just two of their last eight away games, even falling to defeat at Portsmouth last month.

Some may say it’s Liverpool who have it all to do…

Match Verdict: Liverpool to WIN – 1.73 PaddyPower

We have two side who can create plenty of decent goalscoring chances but neither have been particularly good in front of the sticks. Wolves are seriously short of quality in attack and that has resulted in them not scoring nearly enough goals, while Liverpool do have some form of talent up top but prefer to pass up the easy chances, Dirk Kuyt being the main culprit. However, give Liverpool enough chances and they will usually take one of them and that could be enough to see of Wolves in a game which could be tighter than some anticipate.

Match Odds:

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 5.50 Bet365

Draw – 3.75 VCbet

Liverpool – 1.73 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Dirk Kuyt FGS – 6.50 PaddyPower

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Wigan Athletic

Saturday, 16^th January – 15:00 GMT

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: WLWLL

Winnable fixtures don’t come around that often when you’re a Wolves fans but a home game with a beleaguered Wigan, albeit a winning one in their last outing, does represent a glorious opportunity for Wolves to add another win to their league tally of five thus far. The Wolves’ were beaten in their last home outing by an in form Man City but the last two teams before City were sides in close prolixity to Wolves in the table and Mick McCarthy’s men duly dispatched both. Will Wigan Athletic fall to a similar fate on Saturday? 

A narrow 1-0 victory at Tranmere won’t have set the world alight for Wolves fans but it did end a run of two successive defeats in the league. The trip to Tranmere was a brisk change from some of their recent league fixtures; tough games with Man City & Liverpool in which Wolves suffered defeats in both despite playing some good, entertaining football in both. However, Wolves were far from convincing at Tranmere but we suppose at least the job is done and the fans can now look forward to their next cup encounter, a home tie with Crystal Palace.

For now, though, and more importantly, Wolves must divulge their full attention on their next task at hand – A home encounter with a struggling Wigan. Now… Wolves might be without a win in two after back-to-back defeats to Man City & Liverpool but their opponents this Saturday are suffering a far worse lull in form and are without a win in their last five games. Moreover, Wolves have boosted their credentials with two wins from their last three home fixtures after beating both Burnley (2-0) and Bolton (2-1) in December. Those pair of wins have lifted Wolves out of the relegation zone and a win over the Latics would see them remain on safe ground… for now.

It’s safe to say that Wolves have been a lot better at home, both in results and displays, but are still not completely comfortable in front of their home fans, at least from a backers point of view. Their record at Molineux this season stands at 3-2-5 but it’s worth mentioning that, although this recent good run of form at home should boost the players confidence levels, Wolves were struggling to perform at home in the very beginning of the season and did manage just one home win in seven before their quick-fire back-to-back successes over Burnley & Bolton. They are clearly a team that thrive on confidence and momentum but after two straight defeats in the league will that have an adverse effect on their performance at the weekend, or will they see their 1-0 victory in the cup as a building block for a better new year?

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 16th

Recent Form: LDLDL

Any game Wigan are involved in these days we tend to steer well clear as they are just so damn unpredictable. However, for a Wigan side without a win in five and winless in their last five away outings, surely there is no easier opportunity for them to put an end to such a baron run than a trip to Molineux. However, five games without a win, three defeats in five and conceding five goals in their last outing (That number 5 is appearing a lot) we can only presume that a demoralised Wigan side will be travelling to Molineux on Saturday in a game they simply have to get something out of to avoid falling into a confidence sapping pit.

Wigan are rapidly becoming a team in serious trouble after not only a poor run of results but also a dreadful set of performances. Scoring goals, surprisingly, hasn’t been much of a problem for Roberto Martinez’s side, despite the Spaniard opting for just one striker in most outings, but keeping a clean and a tidy defence has been close to impossible. Wigan may have scored a reasonable tally of 6 goals in their last five league games but they’ve shipped a frightening amount in return – 13.  

However, the Wigan C.V reads a whole lot worse when you delve into their diabolical away record. The Latics, under Roberto Martinez, have managed to notch up just two away wins all season, with their away recording standing in at 2-1-7. However, it gets a whole lot worse when I read out their dire away goal difference of negative 20. A Wigan offence led solely by a hard-working Rodellega has only managed 11 away goals this season but have shipped a mammoth 31 in return – the worst away defensive record in the league… A shared honour with Burnley.

Wigan’s performances of late have left a lot to be desired, especially in defence which is an area where Martinez has done little to bolster nor improve as of yet. Their defending at times is laughable, or cry able if you’re a Wigan fan, with a distinct lack of quality, organisation, grit, determination, effort… we could quite literally go on. Wigan, while their defence is performing this bad, are a lost cause to us and we won’t be backing them for quite some time to come. At least not until we some vast improvements in their back four.

Match Verdict: Wolverhampton Wanderers to WIN – 2.30 totesport

To be brutally honest we wouldn’t touch this game with a barge pole, such is the little appeal this match has on us. However, we have to pick a result and Wolves get the nod… only just mind. Mick McCarthy’s side have been miles better at Molineux and they often start their home games at a fast pace. If they were to sprint out of the blocks then Wigan might not be prepared for an early assault, or any assault for that matter judging by their defensive displays this season. It doesn’t have the makings of a classic but a big game nevertheless for both sides as three points would be hugely significant for the winner.

Match Odds:

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 2.30 totesport

Draw – 3.30 BlueSquare

Wigan Athletic – 3.40 BlueSquare

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Wolves/Wolves (HT/FT Betting) – 4.00 PaddyPower

West Ham United V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Sunday, 10^th January – 15:00 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

West Ham United

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: LLDWL 

Ther Hammers don’t have too long to digest their FA Cup exit as they welcome Mick McCarthy’s Wolves to Upton Park in what appears to be an early six-pointer between two sides destined to be there or thereabouts come May. West Ham fans will believe that they have far more talent on show than their opponents, but will this equate into a winning formula?

Ginafranco Zola was in an optmistic mood at the beginning of the week and claimed there were plenty of positives to take away from their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal. We, however, felt it wasn’t the best performance we’ve seen from West Ham this season, far from it, but there were glimpses that particular areas are improving, more notably in defence. To concede just the two goals, late ones at that, against the country’s most prolific goalscorers takes some doing, although it must be said that Arsenal were without a whole host of attacking players; Fabregas, Van Persie & Arshavin to name but a few.

It’s good to see the West Ham defence rallying around as that is where West Ham have been at their weakest this season, but to concede two goals still shows signs that big improvements are needed, and to concede them both late on clearly shows that West Ham have a distinct lack of concentration at the back. They were, though, a lot brighter on the front foot as they were getting forward with ease, with some slick interchanging allowing them to carve through what should have been a tight and compact Arsenal defence.

However, although they came across no problems getting forward, West Ham’s final play in the final third was abysmal and how they managed to find the goal once was beyond me. They posses players that can take on a defender, Diamanti & Jimenez for example, but both lose their marbles when they enter the opposing penalty area. They weren’t the only culprits, though, and their shy display in front of goal is a big concern as West Ham look lost up front without their star man, Carlton Cole, driving them forward, although the England centre-forward could make his return to the fold against Wolves this Saturday.

If Carlton Cole does play, which we can’t honestly see happening, then West Ham will be a good bet. He provides them with a more reliable outlet. He is a player which can amply hold up the ball but can also finish, which is more than can be said for their remaining strikers. West Ham did manage a victory in their last home outing, though, in a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth so perhaps, considering they are facing another poor opponent, the home factor will get them through another big fixture.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: WLWLL

Wolves were another Premiership side who scraped through their opening FA Cup fixture, beating League One outfit, Tranmere Rovers, by a single goal; 1-0. However, the result is all that matters and Mick McCarthy will be hoping the squad can push on now and hit the new year running with a couple of victories as their two upcoming fixtures are certainly winnable. However, Wolves have been pretty shabby on the road this season so perhaps a draw would be just as good as a win at Upton Park, despite West Ham being worse off than them in the table.  

Wolves put themselves in the hat for the fourth round and their victory over Tranmere should be a welcome boost of confidence that the players clearly needed after a tough festive period of fixtures. Mick McCarthy’s side didn’t manage a single point in their two games either side of Christmas, excruciating fixtures at that against Liverpool (2-0) & then Man City (0-3). However, with Wolves faltering over Christmas, the pressure is now on them to register some quick fire points in the new year starting with a very winnable fixture with West Ham. On paper anyway.

If this was at Molineux, with a capacity crowd cheering them on, then perhaps we would pluck up some courage and back Wolves for what would be the first time this season. However, that isn’t the case and Wolves have been a terrible away outfit this season, with the exception of their shock victory at White Hart Lane over Tottenham. Their away record this season stands at 2-2-6, but they’ve lost back-to-back away games since their sublime result over Spurs and have failed to score in three of their last four away outings. On the road, they lack that attacking edge while their defence has left gaping gaps – a recipe for disaster.

Wolves won’t, though, have too many better opportunities this season to win an away fixture than this, and Mick McCarthy will undoubtedly be drumming this fact into the players during the course of the week. Still, even with that said, we can’t see Wolves overhauling West Ham at Upton Park as they’ve generally been a very poor away outfit. At home they have this aurora about them where they storm straight out of the blocks and put their opponents immediately under pressure. They struggle to do this away from home, while their defence has often capitulated when times have got hard and with this we couldn’t touch Wolves even if those tight-fisted Irish bookies paid us to.

Match Verdict: West Ham United to WIN – 1.83 BetFred

We really fancy West Ham’s chances at the weekend as, quite frankly, they won’t have an easier opportunity to notch up three points than a meeting with Wolves at Upton Park. The same will probably be said in the Wolves dressing room but the roar of a home support should ensure that Zola gets the very best out of his players this Sunday. Wolves will be dangerous on the break, but West Ham should dominate in the chances created department, it’s just a case of whether their out-of-confidence forwards can take their chances when they come their way.

Match Odds:

West Ham United – 1.83 BetFred

Draw – 3.50 Bet365

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 4.80 Boylesports

SoccerBetting Value Tip: West Ham to score EXACTLY 3 goals – 11/2 SkyBet

Liverpool V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday 26^th December (Boxing Day) – 17:30 GMT

Liverpool

League Position:

Recent Form:

(Liverpool have scored in every home fixture this season)

Times maybe rough at Liverpool but what more could you ask for, to turn the tidings in your favour, than a home fixture with lowly Wolves. Rafael Benitez’s side won’t get an easier opportunity to pick up three points all season then this Saturday but will the added pressure of playing under the ESPN camera’s be a factor? After all, in the three matches that Liverpool have featured in on ESPN, the Reds’ have only managed to win one of them, and it would semm Liverpool prefer to shy away from the limelight, which is no surprise considering their drastic season up till now.

As if Liverpool’s season couldn’t get any worse they go and lose at bottom of the league Portsmouth. The 2-0 defeat at Fratton Park will now go alongside the six other defeats they’ve suffered this season, five more than they lost in the whole of the previous campaign. Liverpool did start the game brightly, passing the ball around crisply, but they failed to create anything clear cut and, once Portsmouth scored their first, quickly followed by the dismissal of Javier Mascherano, who will evidentially will miss this fixture, Liverpool never recovered and looked a demoralised bunch.  

That’s been the problem with Liverpool this season compared to last season. If they went a goal down last year then their battling qualities shone through more times than not. Remember their late victories over Middlesborough, Fulham and even Portsmouth? Well, they seem a distant memory now and on the seven occasions that Liverpool have fallen behind this season, only once have they managed to turn things around and record a hard fought victory. That rare sighting coming against Bolton, winning 3-2. However, an early setback really shouldn’t be on the cards in this encounter as, despite Liverpool’s recent form woes, they should stroll through an outing with what is a poor Wolves side.

At Anfield this season, Liverpool have been better but still not good enough. In nine home fixtures, Liverpool have slipped up four times, with a home record of 5-2-2. They’ve already lost twice at home which is ridiculous for a team that went the entirety of last season without a single loss at home. Arsenal & Aston Villa can both boast about their victories at Anfield this season but Wolves don’t even come close to the stature and quality available at the two clubs mentioned. Rafa has seen his side score plenty of goals at home, though, with a home goalscoring record of 24-11, but their defence has been very shaky and in nine home matches, Liverpool have kept just three clean sheets and haven’t kept one since their 2-0 win over Man Utd, five home fixtures ago.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: LWWLW 

Yet another tough fixture for Wolves and there will be questions asked if Mick McCarthy doesn’t rest his entire starting eleven on Saturday in another fixture where Wolves look unlikely to get anything from. However, after the backlash he received after his Old Trafford antics, we doubt he will field such a depleted side at Anfield and who would blame him considering Liverpool’s current predicament. Still, a tough outing for the Wolves and one we can’t see them getting anything out of.  

Avoiding the drop is all Mick McCarthy is concerned about and his controversial tactics to field the fringe players at Old Trafford showed his intent and desire of doing whatever necessary to avoid such a disaster. The gamble did pay off, though, when goals from Milijas & Kevin Doyle gave Wolves all three points against Burnley at the weekend. Their third win in as many games. Mick McCarthy has now guided Wolves to three wins in four games but will be hard pressed to get a positive result from this fixture.

The win at home to Burnley last week lifted Wolves further away from the dreaded drop but they aren’t out of the woods just yet, far from it. They are currently just three points off Bolton who occupy the first of three relegation spots and a defeat at Anfield would see them drop right back into contention after an impressive run of form to get them out of the equation, albeit temporarily.  

Wolves, in general, have been a poor outfit away from home, bar a few shock results. Their record this season away from Molineux is 2-2-5, with their two wins both coming by a 1-0 scoreline, one at Wigan and the other at Tottenham Hotspur. The latter result was outstanding but they did ride their luck on several occasions and would need a miracle for a similar result at Anfield as they’ve been far too negative at times when on their travels. At Molineux, Wolves have been able to express themselves a whole lot more in terms of creating chances. On the road, though, they struggle to keep the ball let alone carve open any defence, whilst their defending at times has been laughable.  

Wolves are vulnerable to just capitulating and an early goal for the home side on Saturday could open the Wolverhampton floodgates. They battled on stoutly at Old Trafford but a Wayne Rooney penalty spelt the end for Wolves, with Rooney strike just 30 minutes into the game instantly demoralising Wolves who eventually went on to lose 3-0. They were battered 4-0 at Chelsea, with 4-0 an injustice on how superior Chelsea were that day. Wolves have shipped 19 away goals this season, managing just 8 in return, and have failed to score in two of their previous three outings.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Liverpool W: 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers W: 0 Draw: 1

Encounters between these two aren’t all that common, just twice in fact, and it’s Liverpool who etched their way ahead on the h2h counter, only just, with a narrow 1-0 victory at Anfield the last time these two met. Wolves did, however, hold the Reds’ to a 1-1 draw at Molineux, although both results are somewhat insignificant as the last time these two clashed was nearly six years ago.

Match Verdict: Liverpool to WIN – 1.30 VCbet

We know Liverpool haven’t been playing well of late, and that Wolves will be confident after a victory in their last outing, but the gulf in class between the two sides is too big to ignore and only a Liverpool win will suffice in Saturday’s encounter at Anfield. The Reds’ will be desperate to return to winning ways at home after their last visit ended in a miserable 2-1 defeat by Arsenal. Fernando Torres is back and should scare the living daylights out of that Wolves defence, while Steven Gerrard, who hasn’t been half the player he was last season, really does need to up his game and take this match by the scruff of it’s neck. A comfortable home victory for us else anything else would lead to yet more criticism of this massively underachieving club.

Match Odds:

Liverpool – 1.30 VCbet

Draw – 5.80 SportingBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 12.00 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Yossi Benayoun Anytime Scorer – 3.50 Expekt.com