Wolverhampton Wanderers

Everton V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 19 November 2011 – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Goodison Park

Preview

Wolves failed to record a Premier League victory in the months of September and October, going seven matches in all without recording a win, but are targeting back-to-back victories in November when they travel to Everton this weekend hoping to build on their 3-1 trouncing of rock-bottom Wigan before the break. That win catapulted Mick McCarthy’s men out of the relegation places, and another could see them surge into the top half of the table for the first time since the beginning of September.

The hosts for this fixture are an Everton team currently in disarray following a torrid period of fixtures. Five defeats in six was to be expected in many ways considering who they were up against, but that hardly softens the blow. Now the Toffees find themselves tittering above the relegation places, with defeat to Wolves on Saturday, coupled with a Bolton win elsewhere, enough to consign them to spell in the bottom three.

The result has a large bearing for both teams then, who have hardly been accustomed to winning matches this season. And that leads me rather nicely onto my next golden nugget: the previous two meetings at Goodison both ended in 1-1 draws – though Everton, who have played one game fewer than most, did win the last fixture between these two sides handsomely; goals from Phil Neville, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Jermaine Beckford sealed a comfortable 3-0 success for David Moyes’ men.

Everton

League Position: 17th

League Form: LLWLL

There won’t be many sides who can claim they’ve had it tougher over the past month or so than David Moyes’ Everton, whose team came face to face with just about every team worth their salt between the end of September and early November. So they’ll appreciate a visit from Wolves this weekend, a team which has won only one of its previous eight league matches and whom last beat Everton on Merseyside way back in 1979.

The ideal fixture in which to mount a revival then, as Everton could certainly do with an upturn in fortunes. A 2-1 reverse at Newcastle just before the recent break for internationals was their fifth in six games, having previously suffered defeats at the hands of Chelsea (3-1), Liverpool (0-2), Man City (2-0) and Man Utd (0-1), leaving them occupying the last position of safety above the dreaded relegation zone.

However, Everton have failed to get the better of Wolves in each of the previous two Goodison meetings, though they did spank Mick McCarthy’s side 3-0 as recently as April. They’ll also take a lot of heart from their battling display versus Manchester United last time out, even if it was in vein in a 1-0 loss.

Plus the emergence of Jack Rodwell on the international stage, who was accompanied by team-mate Leighton Baines in the starting line-up on Wednesday for England in an international friendly with Sweden at Wembley, should inject some confidence and vigour into a team urgently in need of a boost, after collecting just three points from a possible eighteen.

Scoring remains Everton’s achilles heel, though. Jack Rodwell’s solitary strike at St James’ in the 2-1 defeat to Newcastle was only their fifth in six games, failing to net in half those games. With an ageing, injury prone Louis Saha posing as their one and only recognised striker, a lack of goals hardly comes as a surprise.

Wolves

League Position: 13th

League Form: LLDLW

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is hopeful of having top scorer Steve Fletcher available for Saturday’s trip to Goodison to face out of sorts Everton. The striker had been suffering with a calf problem but return to first-team training earlier in the month and is now primed for his first start in over a month.

The return of Fletcher is a massive boost for Wanderers, who have found goals scarce to come by in his absence. Before their 3-1 victory over Wigan, with goals coming from David Edwards, Stephen Ward and Jamie O’Hara, Wolves had conjured just five goals in a eight-game winless run that contained six defeats.

Banishing their drought was of huge importance, as Wolves were running the risk of becoming stranded at the foot of the table had their rut continued. Mick McCarthy had every confidence his team would do so at home to Wigan in their last match, and his players repaid his faith with a timely win over survival rivals Wigan at Molineux.

Now Wolves are within a win of potentially leaping back into the top half of the league, though they’ve not won a competitive match at Goodison Park for over 40 years. Moreover, there is still the not so small matter of having a three-match losing streak away from home hanging over them, having lost at Liverpool (2-1), Man City (3-1) and West Brom (2-0).

Mick McCarthy’s side have been victorious on the road this season, but it’s up to you how much you read into their 2-1 victory away at struggling Blackburn on the opening day of the season. Their performance away at league leaders Man City at the end of last month was certainly eye-catching, with the Wolves manager gutted at the end of the game that his team didn’t at least take a point away from their visit to Manchester.

Match Pointers

- There has been nothing to choose between these two teams in recent meetings, with three of the previous four ending in draws. The last two meetings staged at Goodison Park both ended 1-1.

- Everton did win their most recent league meeting with Wolves though, winning 3-0 at Molineux back in April.

- Not since September 1979 have Wolves recorded a league win over Everton on Merseyside, with Everton winning three of six since.

- Everton (W3 D1 L6) have lost five of their previous six Premier League matches, including the last two at home without scoring.

- Wolves (W3 D2 L6) ended a run of seven games (D2 L5) without a win when beating Wigan 3-1 at home right before the international break.

Betting

Few have frustrated me more over the years than Everton. This fixture in particular ignites terrible memories, seeing as I tipped the Toffees to triumph in each of the previous two seasons at home to Wolves. Both encounters finished 1-1 and it could pay to back the hat-trick on Saturday.

While Everton are languishing just above the relegation zone after a dire sequence of results, Wolves are invigorated after winning their first league game in over two months at home to Wigan last time out. So I expect to see a rejuvenated Wanderers produce a typically dogged display at a ground where they do have a knack of grounding results, in recent times anyway, despite not actually winning at Goodison Park in 42 years.

Wolves hadn’t won at Anfield in God knows how long, but then they went and capitalised on the Reds woes by winning 1-0 back in December of last year. Could they pull off something similar just a mile down the road? It’s certainly worth chancing, in my opinion.

Match Outcome: Wolves to WIN @ 11/2 Ladbrokes

Value Bet: Steven Fletcher to Score @ 4/1 Unibet

Match Odds

Everton – 4/7 StanJames

Draw – 14/5 VictorChandler

Wolves – 11/2 Ladbrokes

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Wigan Athletic

Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 6 November 2011 – 13:30 GMT

Venue: Molineux

TV Coverage: LIVE on SKY SPORTS 1

Preview

A monumental meeting at the bottom of the Premier League this Sunday sees a Wolves side without a win in eight host hapless Wigan, who are currently on run of seven straight defeats in the league. The reward for the victorious party will be just three points, but it will feel like the proverbial six as two nailed-on relegation candidates go head-to-head at Molineux – which can be seen live on Sky Sports 1 as part of Super Sunday’s double bill.

Usually in these types of fixtures, where two struggling teams meet both eyeing up each other as a means to an end – and in this case a means to their dire streaks, the onus will fall on the home side. However, Wigan aren’t in a position where they can afford to rest on their laurels, because they have none. Their current state of affairs are critical to say the least; Martinez’s Latics prop up the table in 20th, after one win all season, and are already three-points off safety.

On the topic of safety, Wolves are clinging onto the last position that doesn’t scream ‘DANGER’. Wanderers sit just two-points above the drop zone in 17th, three points better off than rock-bottom Wigan but just one bad result away from slipping into that dreaded bottom-three. In fact, defeat in this fixture for them, provided it is by a two-goal margin or greater, and they would be leapfrogged by the Latics.

So where’s your money going – on a Wolves side without a win since 21 August, or do you fancy Wigan to collect their first points since 27 August? It has been such a drought for both that you wonder if either actually remember how to win a game of football.

Wolves

League Position: 17th

League Form: LLLDL

Last season it was Wolves’ inability to take points off their survival rivals which almost cost them their Premier League status. This season, however, it’s been their inability to take points off anyone which is jeopardising their two-year reign in the top flight. Since the middle of August, which was when they last won a league game, Wolves have registered a meagre two points from 24 that went on offer. But they can at least take enormous heart from the fact one team has been just as abysmal as themselves – and it just so happens they face them this weekend.

A 3-1 loss away to Man City last weekend stretched Wolves’ winless run to eight in the league, six of which were defeats. So you can kind of see why some supporters aren’t happy with the current regime, and why Mick McCarthy has come in for some stick of late – even though he was instrumental in guiding the club back to the promised land, as well as the small matter of keeping them there for the past two years.

The last time Wolves were at home it was against newcomers Swansea, and it was also shown live on Sky Sports which meant we got a first-hand perspective of what McCarthy is dealing with. The hostility around Molineux right now is highly detrimental to the team’s chances of ending their dismal sequences of results, so you do wonder how the crowd will react should their team fall behind on Sunday at home to rock-bottom Wigan, who have suffered seven consecutive defeats.

Wolves’ fixtures at home this season haven’t been too difficult, which I suppose doesn’t entirely bode well for Sunday. They were winners first time out, versus Fulham, but it’s been a downward spiral ever since with defeats to Newcastle (1-2), QPR (0-3) and Tottenham (0-2), though their 2-2 draw with Swansea in their match in the Midlands felt like a victory considering they trailed 2-0 going into the final ten minutes. That comeback draw coupled with their valiant performance away at Man City last week, in which they almost came from two-goal down but ended up losing 3-1, could be the telling signs of a Wolves renaissance.

If Wolves are to kick-start their faltering season on Sunday, they will have do it without top scorer Steven Fletcher. The Scotland striker has been ruled out with a calf problem, meaning Kevin Doyle will once again have to work tirelessly up front on his own.

Wigan

League Position: 20th

League Form: LLLLL

Win, lose or draw – relegation or survival – it would appear Wigan chairman Dave Whelan will keep faith with manager Roberto Martinez no matter what the outcome. That has to be of huge relief for the Spaniard, who is a talented manager in my honest and humble opinion, because any other manager in his situation – at the helm of a team which has lost its previous seven league matches – would have more than likely faced the music by now.

So without feeling any added pressure from the board, Martinez can focus on what really matters, and that’s the football side of things and what happens on the pitch this Sunday. Ideally, Wigan would have liked this match at home, even though the DW Stadium is hardly a fortress these days, but Molineux isn’t a bad venue either. The home fans have been quick to turn on their team of late and an early Wigan goal would certainly work in the Latics’ favour.

Just like their opposite numbers, some green shoots of recovery can be seen in some of Wigan’s recent displays. Away at Newcastle in their last away fixture, Wigan were dogged and resilient, tidy on the ball, and although they didn’t offer too much going forward, had chances. To lose 1-0 was a massive blow and incredibly unjust. Then, at home to Fulham last time out, Wigan were beaten 2-0 despite enjoying the Lion’s share of possession and creating the better opportunities – but yet again it was their lack of cutting edge in the final which cost them dear.

Wigan have now scored just three times in their last seven league games, all of which were defeats while only one of those goals were scored whilst out on their travels. Now that’s some damning statistics if you ask me. It gets worse, though. Two of those goals were scored by midfielder Mohamed Diame, both crackers as well, and he’s a major doubt for Sunday. Meanwhile captain Gary Caldwell is suspended.

Match Pointers

- Four of the previous five league meetings were won by Wigan, who did the double over Wolves last season by winning 2-0 at home and 2-1 at Molineux.

- Wolves (17th; W2 D2 L6) are without a win in eight games in the Premier League, losing six and drawing two; they also managed just five goals during this dismal run.

- The Molineux outfit have conceded two goals or more in each of their previous Premier League home games, and on three occasions it was precisely two.

- Wigan (20; W1 D2 L7) have lost their last seven league games, by an aggregate of 3-15.

- The Latics have scored just one goal away from home this season, failing to score in four of their five awau league encounters.

Betting

Perhaps I’m being biased; I suppose I am seeing as I’m tipping them, but I’m rooting for Wigan this weekend, even though there’s little on paper which would suggest an away victory is even plausible in this fixture. The Wolves team does look better from an attacking point of view, with Mick McCarthy boasting a lot more creative outlets than his opposite number, who will once again rely on the quick feet of Victor Moses. Defensively, though, both are as poor as each other.

To be brutally honest, I wouldn’t want to back either side at short odds, so there’s no way I’ll be touching Wolves at the Evens mark. So I’m basically putting all my faith in Roberto Martinez masterminding a whirlwind of a Latics performance at Molineux, possibly inspired by Victor Moses, the 21-year-old who will be buoyed by his recent call-up to the Nigerian senior side; he’s also had more attempts on goal than any player in the Barclay’s Premier League this season without scoring. Something tells me he maybe due.

Match Outcome: Wigan to WIN – 7/2 Ladbrokes

Value Bet: Victor Moses to Score – 5/1 Unibet

Match Odds

Wolves – EVENS Boylesports

Draw – 5/2 StanJames

Wigan – 7/2 Ladbrokes

BLACKBURN ROVERS V WOLVES

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 13th August 2011; 15:00 BST
Venue: Ewood Park

PREVIEW

These two teams played out a thrilling match that will live long in the memory on a climatic final day of the 2010-2011 Premier League, a match which both sides could ill-afford to lose as the prospect of relegation lurked over them. So I suppose we better brace ourselves for more drama, as the two clubs will renew their rivalry on the opening day of a brand new season this weekend – only this time there isn’t as much riding on the final result as there was just 84 days ago.

Of the two, Wolves are the team gunning for revenge on Saturday. Mick McCarthy’s men never take defeat on their own patch lightly and the sheer fact the 3-2 reverse back in May so nearly cost them their status as a Premiership football club will only heighten the team’s desire and motivation to win their opening fixture. However, their record on the road was extremely disappointing last season – only Bolton amassed fewer points on their travels in 2010-2011 – while the last time they were victorious away to Blackburn was way back in 1992.

Blackburn, on the other hand, will be feeling extremely confident ahead of Saturday’s fixture. Their league form at Ewood Park during 2010-2011 was relatively healthy (W7 D7 L5), while they’ve tasted defeat on just two occasions in their last nine league matches on home soil, and those were a pair of narrow 1-0 defeats to quality opposition in the form of Man City and Tottenham.

However, it is Blackburn’s record at home to Wolves which is particularly eye-catching, and is perhaps why some believe Steve Kean’s team to be an attractive betting proposition this weekend. Not since the early 90′s have Blackburn lost a league fixture at home to their Midlands rivals, and that includes comfortable 3-0 and 3-1 wins in the last two seasons. In fact, Rovers have won the last four matches at home to Wolves by an overwhelming aggregate of 12-2.

TEAM PREVIEWS

Blackburn Rovers

If Blackburn are to make the step up from relegation candidates to European contenders then Steve Kean’s men simply must score more goals, and with far more regularity, certainly at home. Just four teams conjured fewer goals than Rovers last season, two of which ended up being relegated, while only Birmingham scored fewer at home, also a team who were relegated from the division. So those are some pretty damning statistics

But despite the alarm bells ringing out for all to hear, the club have taken a blaise attitude to the whole issue. Scotland’s David Goodwillie was brought in to bolster Kean’s uninspiring forward armoury, which includes several young, inexperienced foreign imports, as well as Jason Roberts, an outcast at the club under former manager Sam Allardyce. Roque Santa Cruz and Benjani both left the club in the summer – the former back to his parent club while the latter released – while El-Hadji Diouf seemingly has no intention of involving himself in the club’s future plans.

In the seven games that preceded their final day triumph at Molineux over Wolves, in which they stunned everyone with three first-half goals, Blackburn amassed just four goals, three of which were scored in their final four matches at Ewood Park.

So the problem is unlikely to have disappeared over the summer, although their record at home to Wolves in recent Premier League contests is incredibly strong and would suggest Blackburn are primed to score yet more goals against Mick McCarthy’s men, after notching up ten goals in their last four clashes alone, six of which were netted whilst playing at home.

As well as a distinct lack of proven forwards at this level, Steve Kean could also be without key defensive duo Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba for Saturday’s game.

Wolves

What would appear to most as a gentle, pleasant opening fixture is in fact formidable to Wolves. The Midlands club have a truly retched record against their Lancashire rivals, having won none of their last eight league encounters with Blackburn, a dismal run which does include five defeats, four of those occurring on their previous four visits to Ewood Park. The last time Wolves celebrated victory away from home against Blackburn? Almost two decades ago, back in 1992.

To compound all the hopes and expectations of those travelling to Lancashire this weekend, Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is once again facing an injury list as long as his arm. Adlene Guediora is a definite absentee while the likes of Kevin Foley, David Edwards, Michael Kightly, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake and Kevin Doyle are all doubts. Fortunately for Wolves, there is strength in depth at the club.

Looking back on their performances from last season, there were two aspects which urgently required attention; their inability to raise their game against the lesser sides in the league, and their poor displays on the road. As mentioned in my initial preview, only Bolton registered fewer points on their travels last season than Mick McCarthy’s homesick Wolves, while only Stoke netted fewer than Wolves’ paltry sum of 16 away goals.

Has Mick McCarthy addressed these issues during the summer? I would have thought upping their game against the lesser sides would be far easier than amending their drastically poor away form, which could be their undoing right from the word ‘Go’, as this is by no means a fixture Wolves would have wished for on the opening weekend.

TEAM NEWS

Although both are included in Steve Kean’s squad to face Wolves on Saturday, defenders Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba are both doubts for the Ewood Park clash. Samba is nursing a groin injury while Nelsen hasn’t fully recovered from a knee operation he had in the close-season. However, new signing David Goodwillie is set to make his Premier League debut for the club.

As expected, David Edwards, Kevin Foley and Adlene Guediora all miss Wolves’ opening fixture through injury. Striker Kevin Doyle is also doubtful after withdrawing from Republic of Ireland’s international with Croatia in midweek. On the up side, Michael Kightly and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake were both named in Mick McCarthy’s matchday squad, as was summer signing Roger Johnson, whom will captain Wolves on his Premier League debut for the club this weekend.

BETTING – NEWS, ODDS & TIPS

Blackburn are utterly dominant in the head-to-head, their form at Ewood Park over the last twelve months has also been decent, while their opponents just don’t do travelling… So I’m sure many of you will snap up the 23/20 on offer with VictorChandler on yet another Rovers victory over Wolves.

Considering how poor their record against Blackburn is, Wolves would probably settle for a draw. It’s 12/5 with a whole host of firms including BetFred and Totesport.

Now what about a Wolves win? The Premier League has a reputation for springing surprises, the 2010-2011 season was full of them, so what are the chances of Mick McCarthy’s taking maximum points from a trip to Ewood Park for the first time since 1992? Not all bad actually, according to various bookmakers. You can get 11/4 with Coral and SkyBet on Wolves securing a rare away win on the opening weekend.

Match Odds:

Blackburn Rovers – 23/20 (2.15) VictorChandler
Draw – 12/5 (3.40) BetFred
Wolves – 11/4 (3.75) SkyBet

My Prediction: Wolves to win @ 11/4 (3.75) SkyBet
Value Bet: Over 2.5 Goals @ EVENS (2.00) Bet365

I found this fixture particularly tough to call, mainly because Blackburn’s lack of goals is disturbing but not quite as sickening as the sight of Wolves’ record at Ewood Park down the years. But this is always a competitive fixture, normally one where both team give no half-measures, so the draw is out of the question in my book. A tentative vote, then, goes the way of the visitors. The statistics surrounding Wolves aren’t pretty but at the odds I’ll be getting more value for money by backing a team who have more options going forward.

Wolves V West Brom

Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 8 May 2011 – 12:00 (GMT)
Venue: Molineux
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

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Preview

The Barclay’s Premier League boasts a worldwide following and attracts a large scale audience, and over the years we’ve been treated to a wide variety of spectacles. However, one fixture which has rarely blessed our television sets is the Black Country derby between West Brom and Wolves – two of the Midlands’ finest – and we’re fortunate enough that Sunday’s billing should be a real cracker.

Wolves are the team who desperately need the points however, and at home, inside a sold-out Molineux, and where Mick McCarthy’s men have recorded seven of their nine Premiership wins this season, they are perhaps worthy favourites. That said, they aren’t in the best of shapes, having failed to win any of their previous five – two draws and three defeats – whereas West Brom not only arrive in high spirit following last week’s 2-1 victory over local rivals Aston Villa, they are also assured of Premiership football next season and will contest their remaining three games of the season without any pressure and with the freedom and license to express themselves on the pitch.

So whereas it’s a stress-free zone at camp West Brom, it is the exact opposite inside the Wolves dressing room. Floundering in 19th, the Molineux outfit are a point off safety but know a win in Sunday’s hotly contested Midlands clash may be enough to lift them out of the bottom-three, depending on how their rivals fare elsewhere around the country, with just two games left to play.

Securing that elusive win may prove a task easier said than done however, as Wolves have failed to take maximum points in each of their last five and on Sunday couldn’t even dispatch of Birmingham at St Andrews. Now the Blues are usually a difficult sort on their patch, but Wolves spent much of that game with a numerical advantage but failed miserably to seize on their golden opportunity.

Then, of course, we have their opponents, who have become one of the toughest nuts to crack under Roy Hodgson, whom has installed organisation and discipline into the ranks. They’ve only lost one of their last eleven in the league (W4 D6 L1) in a quite unbelievable turnaround, considering the Baggies were in the relegation zone when Hodgson first took charge. The atmosphere in camp has proved no end, as was evident last weekend, when the Baggies came from behind but also with a man less to secure the win which rubber-stamped their inclusion in next season’s campaign.

So whereas Wolves couldn’t see off ten-man Birmingham, West Brom did manage to overcome Aston Villa with a numerical disadvantage. Now it’s usually Wolves who are credited with being workmanlike and spirited, but it would appear we have a role reversal here and even though they are safe from the drop and can afford to take their foot off the pedal, because this is a local derby there shouldn’t be any let-up from the visitors and this is why I believe the Baggies are exceptional value to compound Wolves’ woes, who I also believe are certain to go down.

Moreover, West Brom are unbeaten in their last four away from home – 2 wins and 2 draws – scoring eight goals in that run, and on their last road trip had enough about them to hold Tottenham to a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane. The only real flaw with the visitors is they have a few injuries; Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas among them, while Paul Scharner will serve his one-match ban for seeing red against Villa last week.

Wolves have often been outstanding at Molineux this season but not in their last three at home, losing 3-0 to Everton and only managing a 1-1 draw with Fulham during April. Furthermore, Mick McCarthy is still without his star striker, Kevin Doyle, who continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. The Wolves boss only has one fit striker, and it shows as his side have only found the net three times in five games.

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Form & Last Result

Wolves – LLDLD (Newcastle 4-1 Wolves, Wolves 0-3 Everton, Wolves 1-1 Fulham, Stoke 3-0 Wolves, Birmingham 1-1 Wolves)

Their opponents weren’t in the best frame of minds and had to spend the vast majority of the game with ten-men, yet Wolves still couldn’t register the win which would have given their survival hopes a massive boost. Steve Fletcher had given Mick McCarthy’s men the lead early on from the spot but a mistake from Elokobi was emphatically punished by Birmingham’s Sebastian Larsson. Wolves did create some opportunities late on as they went in search of a vital win, however they didn’t create anything clear cut and in the end had to settle for a share of the spoils. A disappointing result, though.

West Brom – WWLDW (West Brom 2-1 Liverpool, Sunderland 2-3 West Brom, West Brom 1-3 Chelsea, Tottenham 2-2 West Brom, West Brom 2-1 Aston Villa)

Despite spending a large proportion of the game down to ten men, West Brom stunned everyone by scoring a late winner at home to local rivals Aston Villa as the Baggies recorded their first ever win over the Villains in the Premiership. Peter Odemwingie scored West Brom’s first, his 14th of the campaign, but it was Mulumbu who bundled home a winner to send The Hawthorns faithful into raptures. The win moved Roy Hodgson’s side up to 11th in the table, on 43-points where they are now guaranteed a spot in next season’s Premier League.

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Head-to-Head (Premiership)

Wolves wins: 0
Draws: 1
West Brom wins: 0

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: West Brom 1-1 Wolves

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Match Prediction: West Brom to WIN – 3.60 VictorChandler

Even on their travels, West Brom retain their shape and make life as difficult as possible for their opponents to break them down. So considering Sunday’s adversaries are that of Wolves, who haven’t been scoring an awful lot of late and may well be feeling a little down in the dumps following a five-match barren spell, the Baggies, who can play with an element of freedom and with a license to entertain in their remaining three games seeing as survival is assured, are certainly what I call value to clinch their third away win in four and leave their Black Country rivals on the brink of Premiership exile.

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Value Bets

Both Teams to Score @ 1.73 Totesport

At home, Wolves should be good for a goal against a West Brom outfit who haven’t kept a single clean sheet in their last 33 Premiership matches. The Baggies, though, to their credit have scored at least once in each of their last eleven.

Peter Odemwingie to Score @ 3.00 Coral

The Nigerian became the most prolific West Brom striker in a single season last week, when prodding home the equaliser at home to Aston Villa. The free-scoring forward has also netted in each of his last four starts, though only 4 of 14 strikes in the league this season were scored on his travels.

West Brom to Score Exactly 2 Goals @ 4.00 PaddyPower

The Baggies have scored precisely 2 goals in five of their last six.

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Match Odds

Wolves – 2.25 BetFred
Draw – 3.40 Bet365
West Brom – 3.60 VictorChandler

Wolves V Everton

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 9 April 2011 – 12:45 (GMT)
Venue: Molineux
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD2

Two of the league’s resurgent sides clash in the Midlands this Saturday, as an unbeaten in five Everton travel down to Molineux to tackle a Wolves outfit who have lost just one of their previous five matches on home soil.

At Christmas time this precise fixture would have been a relegation six-pointer for Everton, such was the predicament those Toffees found themselves in. Ironically, their first consistent spell of form for quite some time has probably saved their bacon right at the last minute, with Everton now enjoying a five-match unbeaten run – three wins and two draws – which has helped them climb to as high as seventh in the table, where they now reside just four-points behind bitter locals Liverpool.

The same cannot be said for Wolves unfortunately, for whom despite putting together a similarly impressive run of results – losing just one of their last five in the league; as many home games too, but more importantly registering eight points from a possible 15 – are still very much in the relegation mire and in need of all three points from this weekend’s fixture if they’re to return to dry land any time soon.

The background surrounding these two teams doesn’t naturally spell out stalemate, so we should be in for a committed clash between two sides who are just as desperate as the other for points. Interestingly, though, the previous three league meetings have ended all-square…

Team News: Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is still shorn of Irish duo Noel Hunt and Kevin Doyle, the latter for the remainder of the season it would seem, though striker Steven Fletcher could be available. David Moyes of Everton, however, is also missing several key players, including Marouane Fellani and Louis Saha for the rest of the season, while Mikel Arteta still has some weeks left before he’s back in action although Tim Cahill and Seamus Coleman should both return to the match day squad.

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Wolves

League Position: 19th
League Form: DWDWL

Second-from-bottom Wolves, who have caught the eye of many in recent weeks with their form, are still in need of as many points they can get their hands on between now and the end of the season. A visit from Everton probably isn’t ideal then considering the Merseysider’s have also been impressing the pundits of late, although the Toffees will be depleted in size and so inside a raucous Molineux, where Wolves have claimed such big scalps as Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City this season, this is a fabulous opportunity for Mick McCarthy’s men to register three crucial points on a weekend where all the teams struggling down near the foot of the table face tricky assignments.

A 4-1 thumping at the hands of Newcastle United last time out wasn’t just Wolves’ heaviest league defeat of the season thus far, it was their first for five games and ended an encouraging four-match unbeaten run, which included a couple of victories and as many draws. Now Mick McCarthy has to pick his deflated troops from off the canvass in time for another do or die battle, as they all are for Wolves between now and the end of the season, as in-form Everton pay them a visit at Moilneux.

The good news for fans is that your team are back on home soil this weekend, and they should fare well with home comforts on their side. Only a resurgent Liverpool, Everton’s arch local rivals, on 22 January have won a league fixture at Molineux since the beginning of January – Wolves recording an impressive three wins, one and one loss in their last five on their own patch. Furthermore, Wolves haven’t tasted defeat at home to the Toffees in 29-years, though they couldn’t muster even a goal when the two sides clashed there last season.

Wolves have racked up seven goals in their last two matches at home, so not only does their overall form at home make for promising reading, so does their recent goal return. The only real disappointment is that Mick will once again be without his workhorse up top, with Republic of Ireland international Kevin Doyle still sidelined with a knee injury. Nevermind, as former Gillingham wide-man, Matt Jarvis, has been in tip-top form for some time now and if he keep Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Steve Fletcher busy through the afternoon – the pair accounting for three of Wolves’ last seven at home – then the Midlanders should stand a fair chance of recording a vital win.

Everton

League Position: 7th
League Form: WWDWD

David Moyes was well within his rights to lay down the gauntlet for his team at the start of the season, when the Everton boss claimed his side should be challenging for a return to Europe. His squad was certainly capable of mounting a challenge, although quite where this bid for Europe went we have no idea – the players simply never got going and as per usual, only now are they looking back with a rueful smile.

It’s almost become the norm these days that Everton finish a season strongly. Had they began the term in a similar vein then they would be a force to be reckoned with. As it is, any chance of a return to Europe has diminished – Everton nine-points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham having also played one game more – and now the general consensus all around the Blue half of Merseyside is that the team should at least be aiming to finish above their arch local rivals Liverpool, who are now only five-points above the Toffees in the table.

The Reds entertain third-in-the-table Manchester City on Monday, so victory away at Wolves for Everton would pile the pressure right onto a Steven Gerrard-less Liverpool. To be honest, though, Moyes is only thinking about accumulating as many points as humanely possible before the season is out, as he knows more than most never to get carried away when discussing Everton’s potential. Still, the threat of relegation appears to have officially passed them by – Everton have already surpassed the magic 40-point milestone which normally ensures survival – so perhaps now the Toffees can relax a little and start playing the football we all know they can, the sort of football which has recently produced a five-match unbeaten run in the league.

Confidence in camp should be sky-high following their upturn in form, though they were pegged back in their latest conquest, when drawing 2-2 at home to Aston Villa. It should also be noted that while Everton are in decent knick (Without defeat in their last five), four of their last five league games have all been at Goodison Park. Everton were 2-1 winners away at Newcastle last time out however, the same Magpies outfit which spanked Wolves 4-1 just last weekend in fact, but that was only Everton’s third away win of the season, and their first since 20 December.

Not only is their recent vein of form just a little misleading, Moyes will also have to do without a whole host of star players who would have started from the off had they otherwise been available. Louis Saha and Marouane Fellani are out for the remainder of the season, Mikel Arteta is still in the treatment room while Seamus Coleman, Jack Rodwell and Tim Cahill are not certainties to be included in the squad which travels to Molineux for Saturday’s only live Premiership clash.

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Head-to-Head (Premier League ONLY)

Wolves wins: 1
Draws: 3
Everton wins: 1

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Everton 1-1 Wolves
2009/2010: Wolves 0-0 Everton
2009/2010: Everton 1-1 Wolves

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Betting

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.30 SkyBet

Not the mast imaginative of selections, however there shouldn’t be a great deal between them on the day.

The pair of them were in decent form before suffering recent setbacks, although Wolves’ was of a far more serious nature – going down 4-1 at Newcastle a week ago. Both managers will be without several key players, although in this instance it is Everton who lose out, with the Toffees certain to be shorn of Fellani, Arteta and Saha but possibly Rodwell, Coleman and Cahill as well.

I tend to say it a lot but there are few teams with a better fighting spirit than Wolves, who fight tooth and nail for every point. Even more so when they’re at home, which has been the graveyard for many a big name this season; Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City included. So I definitely fancy Wolves to register something from this fixture, I’m just not entirely sure nor confident that it will be maximum points.

Value Bet: Over 3.5 Goals – 3.80 SportingBet

These two teams have been involved in many a high-scoring affair of late, with Wolves’ previous two home games producing 4 and 6 goals respectively while Everton were part of a 2-2 thriller at Goodison last weekend. You normally get goals when two confident sides clash, and that should be the case at Molineux in the weekend’s early kick-off.

Match Odds:

Wolves – 2.62 PaddyPower
Draw – 3.30 SkyBet
Everton – 2.90 WiliamHill

Newcastle V Wolves

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 2 April – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: St James’ Park

Newcastle

League Position: 11th
League Form: DWDLL

Just one win in nine in the Premier League has seen Newcastle’s previously rosy stance in the table turn into one of apprehension, with the Magpies now only four-points above the relegation zone. Defeat on Saturday would drag them closer to the dreaded bottom-three, but that is something manager Alan Pardew is keen to avoid and has stressed the importance of the club’s upcoming games, starting with this weekend’s home match with Wolves.

Victory over Wolves, who are third-bottom but have collected more points in their last four league games than Newcastle have in eight, would go some way to easing the threat of relegation. Three points would also move the Magpies to within a point of the magic 40-point marker which normally guarantees safety. However, this season is like no other, with many suggesting that 40 points may not even be enough to stave off the drop this time around.

The international break couldn’t have come at a more opportunistic time for Alan Pardew, who has had the luxury of a two-week reprieve to regroup the troops and nurse them through what was an horrific result last time out. A 4-0 spanking at the hands of Stoke will have felt like a hammer blow at the time, considering how drastic the team’s form over the last couple of months has been, having won only one of their last nine but also having registered a miserly 8 points in that time.

To complicate matters for Pardew, the 49-year-old is without several key men whose absences from this weekend’s clash with Wolves could turn out to be pivotal. Dan Gosling and Hatem Ben Afra will not be ready in time but are nearing a return to first-team action following long-term injuries. Alan Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the season while both Ryan Taylor and Cheik Tiote are suspended. On the plus side, James Perch, Jose Enrique and Leon Best should all overcome minor knocks while there may even be a début for on-loan Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland.

Wolves

League Position: 18th
League Form: LDWDW

In stark contrast to their opposition this Saturday, the international break couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time for Mick McCarthy and Wolves. The Midlanders were beginning to hit their stride after racking up a four-match unbeaten run which included a couple of tidy victories over Blackpool at home (4-0) and local rivals Aston Villa on the road (0-1), the latter also their most recent triumph and arguably their most impressive of the season; even more reason for McCarthy to rue the timing of recent internationals.

As well as an ample amount of points of late, goals have also been arriving thick and fast. Four against Blackpool and another three against Champions League hopefuls Tottenham means it’s now nine goals in four for one of the league’s previously bluntest attacks. However, their resurgence in scoring form is thanks in no small part to their fantastic record at home, with Wolves having won five of their last eight league matches at Molienux, a sparkling run of form which includes stunning victories over Chelsea and Manchester United. It’s a completely different story elsewhere.

Their hard-fought but thoroughly deserved 1-0 win at Villa Park last time out, over one of their arch rivals, was only their second away win of the term but still leaves them with a woeful looking away record: W2 D2 L11.To compound matters, as well as points proving hard to come by away from fortress Molineux this season, goals have been just as sought-after. 11 from 15 away matches in the league means Mick McCarthy’s charges average less than one-goal-per-game on the road (0.73), and, furthermore, have failed to score in 40% (6/15) of those. They are, though, unbeaten in their last two, so perhaps the foundations for a positive outcome at St James’, where they’ve never been beaten in a Premier League contest.

If Wolves do manage to pick up where they left off two weeks ago, building on a four-match unbeaten run which includes a couple of wins and as many draws, not to mention registering a healthy return of points, then they should fare well on Tyneside, where the hosts are without a number of first-team characters. In fairness,though, Mick McCarthy isn’t exempt from injuries. In fact, the Yorkshireman will be without one of the more influential figures in his dressing room in Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle, who has been ruled out for up to eight weeks. A damning blow at the worse possible time for Wolves, who were beginning to show signs that they were more than up for this relegation dogfight.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Seasons

2010/2011: Wolves 1-1 Newcastle

Premier League

Newcastle wins: 0
Wolves wins: 0
Draws: 3

Betting

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.60 VictorChandler

If form was to determine who leaves Tyneside with all the spoils, Wolves would win hands-down. The Magpies have been dire over the last couple of weeks whereas Wolves have been magnificent, rising to their relegation battle superbly. However, the two-week break may have stopped Mick McCarthy’s men firmly in their tracks, and if that didn’t then Kevin Doyle’s injury may well have.

History indicates that there is never a great deal to choose between these two, with all three previous Premier League meetings ending all-square. The smart money will be on a fourth successive draw as while Wolves boast the far superior form, they have generally been a terrible outfit away from home whereas Newcastle really ought to rise to the occasion at St James’ in a fixture which should they win, would be a significant step towards securing their top-flight status.

Value Bet: 1-1 Draw (Correct Score) – 7.00 WilliamHill

These two teams have clashed on just three previous occasions in the Premier League, all three ending not only all-square but 1-1, also.

Match Odds:

Newcastle – 2.00 BetFred
Draw – 3.60 VictorChandler
Wolves – 4.20 Bet365

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Blackpool

Date & Kick-Off: Saturday, 26th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Molineux

Wolves

In case anyone was wandering, this is officially Wolves’ biggest game of the season, or at least until the next one rolls along. That is according to their manager Mick McCarthy, though he does have a tendency to speak a load of nonsense. However, on this one occasion he may actually speak a little bit of truth, as while Blackpool are a great deal closer to that elusive 40-point milestone than Wolves are, this is without a doubt a relegation six-pointer, and they’ll be loads of those between now and the end of the season.

Looking back, Wolves haven’t won many crunch matches this season, and by that I mean beating those in close proximity. Five of their seven league wins this season have come against side currently situated in the top-half of the league, the Midlands outfit beating all of the traditional ‘Big Four’ bar Arsenal. Against the smaller side however Wolves have fared miserably, but that is something which needs to change, and fast, as there’s every chances of Wolves becoming stranded at the bottom if they aren’t careful.

I wouldn’t necessarily say Molineux has been a fortress this season, however it was where the vast majority of their league wins have occurred. Six of seven to be precise. Their recent form at home is also pretty impressive, even more so when you sit down and read aloud who they’ve beaten there. Birmingham City, Sunderland, Chelsea and even Manchester United, ending the latter’s season-long unbeaten run in the process, have all been put to the sword by arguably the Premier League’s most industrious, dogged, spirited team. After all, this is a club who saviours the big games against some of the countries finest and does all it can to protect its top-flight status.

Unlike most, Wolves were involved in league action last weekend, contesting a Black Country derby with West Bromwich Albion in a match they could and probably should have won. Jamie O’Hara’s stunning long-range effort was worthy of winning any match, but a lack of concentration in the dying embers of the game allowed the Baggies to score a last-gasp equaliser as Wolves spurned a glorious chance to register only their second away win of the season. So instead or a morale-boosting win, the result might have actually knocked their confidence for six. 

Blackpool

If anyone doubted the fighting spirit inside the Blackpool dressing room and their determination to escape the drop, highlights of their stunning 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road should be all you need to assure yourself that the Tangerines are up for the fight and will be there fighting until the very end. The win helped lift the club up to 12th in the table, where they are now five-points clear of the bottom three and that little bit closer to that magic marker of 40-points.

In fairness, it wasn’t a dogged display which helped them overcome the might of Spurs, it was once again their all-out attacking style which saw them create plenty of opportunities, although nowhere near as many as their opponents, with the difference on the night being that Blackpool were clinical. Of course, they had to ride their luck on occasions, with Spurs creating twice as many chances as the home side, but you need those slices of luck when you’re down there fighting and Blackpool made their own on Wednesday.

One of the players at the heart of their midweek triumph was DJ Campbell, a player Blackpool manager Ian Holloway rates so highly that he reckons England manager Fabio Capello should bare the Yeading player in mind for future internationals. His record in the league this season speaks for itself, Campbell having found the back of the net more times than all those who were recently called up for international duty; with Bent and Rooney still trailing DJ’s tally of 9 league goals. Most of those, five, came while the Tangerines were on their travels so the former non-league star maybe a good shout to score at Molineux on Saturday.

His opposite number, Mick McCarthy, has been telling his players that Saturday’s meeting with Blackpool is their biggest match of the season thus far. No doubt Ian Holloway will be uttering similar sentiments to his team, who are now without defeat in two games following seven defeats in their last eight previously in the league. Only West Brom have shipped more goals in the league this season, however Blackpool have always based their philosophy on trying to outscore their opponents so expect an opening game of football rather than a cagey affair, the latter something you usually expect when two relegation candidates come to blows on a football pitch.

Recent Form

Wolves

Premier League: West Brom 1-1 Wolves
Premier League: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
Premier League: Wolves 2-1 Manchester United
Premier League: Bolton 1-0 Wolves
FA Cup: Wolves 0-2 Stoke

Blackpool

Premier League: Blackpool 3-1 Tottenham
Premier League: Blackpool 1-1 Aston Villa
Premier League: Everton 5-3 Blackpool
Premier League: Blackpool 1-3 West Ham
Premier League: Blackpool 2-3 Manchester United

2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Wolves

League Position: 20th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-4-16 (Home: 6-2-5)
Goal Difference: 27-46 (Home: 17-19)
Form: LLWLD (Home: WLWLW)
Top Scorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake & Steven Fletcher (4)

Blackpool

League Position: 12th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-5-13 (Away: 5-2-7)
Goal Difference: 42-51 (Away: 20-27)
Form: LLLDW (Away: WWLLL)
Top Scorer: DJ Campbell (9)

Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Blackpool 2-1 Wolves

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Wolves to WIN – 1.91 Boylesports

Make no mistake about it, this is a massive game which could have a massive say on who eventually goes down at the end of the season. At home, you would, more times than not, fancy them to come out on top in a relegation six-pointer, with a raucous home support behind them. In this instance, Wolves look to have strong credentials considering six of their seven league victories this season have come at Molineux, where they’ll once again be tenacious and workmanlike throughout on Saturday. However their record against those in and around them is extremely poor, whereas Blackpool will come to town to play their usual exciting brand of football.

So what is it to be? The resilience and tenacity of Wolves, who will have a capacity crowd roaring them on to victory, or a Blackpool team which are rarely phased in any environment and will go to Molineux to score goals, as they always do.

I admire Ian Holloway’s principles, how he expects the team to offer fans value for money, but there are certain games where you really do need to roll up your sleeves and alter your tactics and formation a little, and Saturday’s trip to Molineux is just that. It was be a battle and if Wolves do knock the Tangerines off their stride, which they will attempt to do with some physical but fair challenges, then I see only one winner, and that’s Mick McCarthy’s Wolves, who have their backs well and truly up against the walls heading into this fixture and are well aware that anything less than three points would be disastrous.

Value Bet: Wolves to WIN 2-1 (Correct Score) – 8.50 Bet365

Match Odds:

Wolves – 1.91 Boylesports
Draw – 3.75 WilliamHill
Blackpool – 4.50 VictorChandler

More information:
Free football tips

Wolves V Manchester United

Saturday, 5th February – 17:30 (GMT)
Venue: Molineux
TV Coverage: ESPN

Wolves

Following his side’s last-gasp defeat in Bolton during the week, Mick McCarthy expressed just how frustrated he was at the final whistle by claiming that he felt ‘robbed’. Daniel Sturridge latching on to a Ronald Zubar pass-back before coolly slotting past a helpless Wayne Hennessey left the Yorkshireman furious, as his side once again shot themselves straight in the foot on a night when those in close proximity all collected valuable points. And if having to see Ronald zubar on the training pitch the following day wasn’t bad enough, a quick glance at the league table would have been enough to turn the straight-talking McCarthy sick with rage – The Midlanders now rock-bottom of the Premier League and don’t even have the incentive of being able to leap out of the relegation with an unthinkable victory on Saturday.

Some are suggesting that Wednesday’s shocking defeat at Bolton was the final nail in the coffin for Wolves, who are now propping up the table and unlikely to collect too many points over the coming weeks. On Saturday, in the second LIVE clash of the day, Wolves tackle United at Molineux while the following weekend they come face-to-face with United’s closer pursuers, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium. Once they get past those two formidable fixtures, the list of winnable games are endless. However, by that time the gap between them and safety will have lengthened unless they produce something extraordinary against one of the aforementioned sides, which isn’t necessarily out of the question despite few actually fancying their chances.

Wolves aren’t like those around them in that they’ve had a clear preference for the high profile clashes, the meetings with the more glamorous sides, instead of bringing their A-game to the fore in the crunch clashes with those in close proximity. However, as far as this precise fixture is concerned, Wolves’ ability to give the elite clubs a run for their money doesn’t make them the forlorn hope so many believe they are to be on Saturday. Defeats to Arsenal (0-2), Chelsea (2-0) and Tottenham (3-1) were completely undeserved, while no-one should forget their stunning efforts in beating Chelsea at Molineux and Liverpool at Anfield either side of the New Year. Oh, and did we forget to mention that in the reverse meeting, back at Old Trafford, United needed a goal from Ji-Sung Park in stoppage time to down Wolves 2-1 in what turned out to be one of many hard-luck stories for the Wolves against the big hitters of the Premier League.

Mick McCarthy will be well aware of the predicament he and his team find themselves in, so he’ll have his troops fired up for Saturday’s match-up with the Premiership pacesetters. In fairness, though, rarely do we doubt their commitment to the cause. Wolves always pour their heart and soul into every match. What they are lacking in is quality at the moment, with Matt Jarvis arguably the only player with that ability to make something happen out of nothing. So we aren’t surprised to hear that the Midlanders have only plundered six goals in their last nine league games, with three of those coming in one game away at Man City, while, somewhat ironically, Ronald Zubar was the last Wolves players to score, his strike at the City of Manchester Stadium coming 185 minutes ago.

However, if you are desperate for something positive then why not take heart from Wolves’ recent upturn in form at Molineux? Granted they were spanked 3-0 by Liverpool in their last home adventure, but their recent record on home soil remains solid nonetheless, winning three of their last five league games in their own backyard, one of those being a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea as well.

Manchester United

The lead-up to this game has been dominated by Gary Neville’s decision decision to call time on a glittering career which saw him win everything under the sun as a Red Devil, with Sir Alex Ferguson determined to keep the stalwart at Old Trafford in some capacity. And while he’s never been our cup of tea, a player loved by his own but despised by virtually everyone else, even we recognise just how exceptional a servant he was for Manchester United, a player would say is the best right-back of his generation.

Right, with our half-hearted praise for Gary Neville out of the way, time to concentrate of his former employer’s next assignment, a trip to Molineux, where they’ve won on their previous two visits in the Premier League – Not to mention successive wins this season at Old Trafford in the league and in the Carling Cup, though both were by the slimmest of margins and required late strikes in order to seal the wins.

Wolves were one of many teams United made heavy-weather of beating in the first half of the season, Ji-Sung Park sparing the Red Devils’ blushes by scoring in stoppage time as Sir Alex breathed a huge sigh of relief in a match where he made several changes, named a weakened line-up and almost paid the penalty against a dogged, tenacious Wolves side who will be just as pumped up on Saturday as they were in the reverse. The difference this time being that Ferguson won’t ring the changes like he did last time, nor are United scraping through games like they were back them. The goals are flying in, heck even Wayne Rooney has relocated the goal-trail, while we could even throw in extra sprinkles by claiming that United have won two of their last three away matches in the league, which they have, although that would only lead you up the garden path as overall, Man Utd have won only three of their eleven matches away from Old Trafford this season (W3 D8 L0).

No-one can really understand why Sir Alex’s men have encountered so many problems on their travels. Even those three stand-out triumphs all came in fortuitous circumstances, requiring further late strikes against Stoke City (1-2) and Blackpool (2-3) while they needed West Brom to miss from the spot before finally edging that contest 2-1. At home they’ve been authoritative, outside of Manchester they’ve been unconvincing and vulnerable, to such an extent that even a trip to Molineux is no foregone conclusion.

One thing which will be interesting is how Wayne Rooney does at Molineux. The former Evertonian scored his first brace of the season on Tuesday night, taking his tally for the season to an underwhelming four in all competitions but crucially aiding his side in their bid to regain the Premiership crown. His two-goal haul and Nemanja Vidic’s thunderbolt effort sealed a commanding 3-1 victory over Aston Villa which maintained United’s dominate lead at the summit, which currently stands at five points. Arsenal are their nearest pursuer and they play a couple hours earlier, but whatever happens Alex Ferguson knows full well that Saturday’s fixture is a golden one, a game they can ill afford to drop a single point in if they’re to keep the bloodthirsty chasing pack off their back.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

Wolves

Premiership: Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Wolves
FA Cup: Wolves 0-1 Stoke City
Premiership: Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
Premiership: Wolves 5-0 Doncaster Rovers
Premiership: Manchester City 4-3 Wolves

Manchester United

Premiership: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa
Premiership: Southampton 1-2 Manchester United
Premiership: Blackpool 2-3 Manchester United
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City
Premiership: Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 Manchester United

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Wolves

League Position: 20th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-3-15 (Home: 5-2-5)
Goal Difference: 24-42 (Home: 15-18)
Top Scorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake & Steven Fletcher (4)
Form: LWLLL (Home: WWLWL)

Manchester United

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 15-9-0 (Away: 3-8-0)
Goal Difference: 54-22 (Away: 17-14)
Top Scorer: Dimitar Berbatov (19)
Form: WDWWW (Away: DDWDW)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Manchester United 2-1 Wolves

2009/2010: Wolves 0-1 Manchester United
2009/2010: Manchester United 3-0 Wolves

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Team News

Wolves - Mick McCarthy will be delighted with news that his treatment room is no longer full to the brim with first-team personel, though Michael Kightly and Michael Manceiine remain sidelined with knee injuries. Stephen Hunt is out for around another fortnight with a calf problem. McCarthy is likely to go with two up front on Saturday, as opposed to just the one in midweek away at Bolton, so either/both Sylvan Ebanks-Blake or Steven Fletcher will be drafted in. Nenad Milijas and Jamie O’Hara are also pushing for a starting berth after both started Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat to Bolton on the bench.

Manchester United - Before Tuesday, Sir Alex Ferguson would have been forgiven for showing favourtism with Javier Hernandez over the club’s highest earner, Wayne Rooney. However, Rooney’s two-goal haul against Aston Villa during the week means he’s now a certainty to start barring injury, alongside nineteen-goal forward Dimitar Berbatov, whose lead at the top of the scoring charts was reduced to four during the week. Gary Neville won’t be involved on Saturday, nor any other match day for that matter, the United great deciding now was the perfect time to announce his retirement from football with immediate affect. Rafael should return to the squad though may not initially start; Antonio Valencia and Owen Hargreaves remain long term absentee’s.

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Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 1.45 Unibet

It’s top versus bottom at tea-time on Saturday and with their situation looking bleak, the jury is already out on whether Wolves can defy the drop for the second successive season. Meanwhile United are still there to be shot at and with their lead at the summit perhaps a little too cosy, even though the bigger the better as far as United fans are concerned, is there hope for the home side that complacency may creep into the away dressing room? After all, away from home is where the mighty Reds have looked their most vulnerable this season.

Credit to Wolves, there haven’t been too many games this season where they have been rolled over. Mick McCarthy’s charges have been competitive in virtually every fixture and could tell folk more hard-luck stories than any other top-flight club. However, while Lady Luck continues to ignore them, Wolves won’t have too many admirers as far as the punters are concerned.

United, on the other hand, have been blowing teams away of late, although they haven’t comprehensively beaten a team away from home all season. Even small-timers Blackpool pushed them to the brink of relinquishing their season-long unbeaten record at Bloomfield Road two weeks ago, so the Red Devils are by no means certainties in a fixture which, on paper at least, they should win with something to spare.

We have our doubts, as they are there in black and white, but we still can’t take our eyes away from another Manchester United victory. It will probably be another close-run thing, as Wolves are desperate for some points and will be giving absolutely everything for the cause on Saturday. However their determination to succeed isn’t likely to equate into points, so United to win this one I’m afraid.

Value Bet: Wayne Rooney First Goalscorer – 4.75 Bet365

Is he back? He’s been playing well for a little while now though without previously finding the back of the net, rarely looking like he would in actual fact. But his two-goal haul in midweek should have given him a taste for goals so I expect him to be sniffing out more goalmouth spoils on Saturday at Molineux.

Match Odds:

Wolves – 8.50 Bet365

Draw – 4.50 SportingBet

Manchester United – 1.45 Unibet

Manchester City V Wolves

Saturday, 15th January – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: City of Manchester

Manchester City

Despite all the noise coming from Roberto Mancini, with the pessimistic Italian claiming his side aren’t yet capable of challenging for the Premier League and that UEFA Champions League football is their sole objective for the season, it’s pretty damn difficult to write them off when they continue to bolster their ranks with superstars. The latest in a long list of big-money coups is the prolific Edin Dzeko, scorer of 66 goals in 111 appearances for the 2008/2009 German Bundesliga winners Wolfsburg, and a player who we genuinely believe will prove a key addition, possibly even decisive considering how badly City have been crying out for an out-an-out striker for so long.

So is Dzeko the missing link? The Bosnian international is a talented individual with a proven track record of scoring goals, having scored plenty of them during his time in Germany, not to mention scoring twice against City’s arch-rivals United during last term’s Champions League – An instant hit with the locals already then. In fairness, he doesn’t look all that at face value, however we’ve seen him on numerous occasion and can honestly say we reckon he’ll be a massive success with City provided they use the width of the pitch a little more.

Roberto Mancini is likely to hand Dzeko his début on Saturday and what a game to make your début in, up against a Wolves side with the worst away record in the Premier League, a team who have scored just six away goals all season. That’s just one fewer than City have conceded at home, the Citizens boasting the leanest defence in the entire league, a shared honour with United. However, you could also say the Bosnian’s arrival couldn’t have come at a better time, what with City having scored more than one single goal on just one occasion in their previous seven home encounters in the league – a deeply concerning statistic when you consider that should the title race boil down to goal difference, City would lose hands down despite their rock-solid defence.

It’s been a season of shocks and City were at the wrong end of one of those in the reverse fixture with this very same opponent, losing 2-1 at Wolves’ Molineux. The odds on lightening striking twice appear minuscule, with only Everton having scored and beaten City at Eastlands in the Premier League in six matches. Bolton, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd are among those who have failed to score at the City of Manchester stadium in the league this season, so the odds are well and truly stacked in City’s favour when you consider that Wolves have plundered just six away goals all season.

In the knowledge that their form on home soil is fairly solid – just one defeat in six – that they concede on the rare occasions – Joe Hart in the City goal having kept a staggering seven clean sheets in ten at home, five in his last six as well, and on the back of successive TO NIL home wins over Aston Villa (4-0) and Blackpool (1-0), you really are struggling to find any dent in their armour. The absence of Mario Balotelli won’t be as hard-felt now that Dzeko has arrived, while the fact David Silva is a doubt is disappointing as he’s a wonderful player, but hardly devastating.

Wolves

For teams like Wolves, there are around a half-a-dozen fixtures you expect them to take nothing from, Saturday’s trip to Manchester City is most definitely one of those. The Midlands outfit find themselves overwhelmed in just about every department, in particular the strength of the two squads as well as a whole bunch of number-crunching statistics. But some extravagantly paid stars and a few numbers hasn’t stopped Mick McCarthy’s charges springing the odd surprise this season, so why should we rule them out of this contest?

If Mick McCarthy heard anyone claim his team were no-hoper’s heading into any fixture, he’d… well, I wouldn’t like to guess what he would do, probably force the doubter to watch forward-lumberjack Ebanks-Blake train. The former Manchester United trainee is Wolves’ top scorer this season with four goals, two of those have come away from home at Everton and Manchester United, at venues not to be sniffed at. Even so, the fact Ebanks-Blake accounts for one-third of Wolves’ away goals this season speaks volumes. One that Wolves’ best hope of scoring is Ebanks-Blake, and two that they do actually appear no-hoper’s if they’re relying on Ebanks-Blake.

We don’t how Wolves will bridge the gap at Eastlands. Their record away from home is so dire that City, a team who rarely dish out an old-fashioned football spanking, may even have a field day on Saturday. Wolves’ only away win of the season came at Liverpool, as well as their only clean sheet. A few years ago that would have been the result of the century, now it’s just a routine win such has been Liverpool’s fall from grace. That was their first win away from home in the Premier League since March, going twelve without one previously, while it was only their second clean sheet on the road in the whole of 2010.

So how does a team who cannot keep it together at the back stop the likes of Man City’s mega-stars running riot? Don’t get me wrong, Wolves will be typically dogged. They’ll get right in amongst it and attempt to disrupt City’s passing rhythm early on, but you worry how long they can sustain that sort of pressure, not to mention how on earth they’ll respond when they do eventually concede, and they will. I’m afraid the numbers simply do not add up, especially as the injury list continues to rise.

Mick McCarthy could be without a whole host of first-team fixtures for the trip to Manchester, with Sylvan Ebanks-Blake joining the likes of Michael Kightly, Michael Mancienne, Adlene Guediora and Jody Craddock on the sidelines, while Elokobi is suspended. Karl Henry and Kevin Foley are both doubts and even though both are are likely to be in contention, I very much doubt the effective they’ll have on a fixture we genuinely believe they’ll be extremely hard-pressed to getting anything from.

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Last 5 Results

Manchester City

FA Cup: Leicester City 2-2 Manchester City
Premier League: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City
Premier League: Manchester City 1-0 Blackpool
Premier League: Manchester City 4-0 Aston Villa
Premier League: Newcastle United 1-3 Manchester City

Wolves

FA Cup: Doncaster 2-2 Wolves
Premier League: Wolves 1-0 Chelsea
Premier League: West Ham 2-0 Wolves
Premier League: Liverpool 0-1 Wolves
Premier League: Wolves 1-2 Wigan Athletic

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Head-to-Head

2010/2011: Wolves 2-1 Manchester City

2009/2010: Wolves 0-3 Manchester City
2009/2010: Manchester City 1-0 Wolves

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Manchester City

League Position: 2nd
Win-Draw-Lose: 12-6-4 (Home: 6-3-2)
Goal Difference: 33-16 (Home: 14-7)
Form: LWWWD (Home: DWLWW)
Top Scorer: Carlos Tevez (12)

Wolves

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-3-12 (Away: 1-1-8)
Goal Difference: 21-34 (Away: 6-19)
Form: WLWLW (Away: LLLWL)
Top Scorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake & Steven Fletcher (4)

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Manchester City to Win – 1.35 WilliamHill

As many have found out the hard way this season, no fixture is a foregone conclusion. This particular match looks as straightforward as they come, and City should make mincemeat of McCarthy’s Wolves. However, there are several pieces of evidence which may suggest Wolves aren’t the forlorn hopes we’re making them out to be.

Recent victories over Liverpool and Chelsea are two massive reasons why City must show Wolves the utmost respect, while home draws with Blackburn and Birmingham earlier in the season for Man City may cast a few doubts.

The arrival of Edin Dzeko has given the fans some excitement, and probably give the dressing room an added lift. Roberto Mancini only has a couple of injuries to concern himself with, so he’ll field a very strong team and with that should come a winning outcome for the Citizens. We simply do not see this game going any other way.

Value Bet: Edin Dzeko First Goalscorer – 4.50 Bet365

I’m not entirely sure he will start although it is a fixture which would allow Mancini to throw his new signing into the fray at the first time of asking. Can he make the perfect start to his City career? Scored goals for absolute fun in the Bundesliga, and it isn’t as though he’s lacking in match practice either having played through the entire first half of the German season up until the winter break.

Match Odds:

Manchester City – 1.35 WilliamHill
Draw – 5.00 Bet365
Wolves – 12.00 VictorChandler

Wolves V Wigan Athletic

Sunday, 26th December – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Molineux

Wolves

After Wolves missed the opportunity to add some vital points to the board after last weekend’s Black Country derby was postponed due to adverse weather conditions, the club have been desperately seeking the support of the locals as they aim to get Sunday’s relegation six-pointer with fellow struggler’s Wigan on. Making sure the match does go ahead couldn’t be more important to Wolves’ survival cause, as another cancellation will mean no chance of bolstering their meagre points tally and would thus leave the door wide open for bottom-placed West Ham to leapfrog them and possibly force Wolves to nosedive into 2011 bottom of the Premier League – Physiologically, a huge blow for the team.

Frustration all round as last weekend’s clash with local rivals West Brom was called off due to snow, not because it was an eagerly-anticipated derby but because Wolves had all the momentum after securing two wins in their last three league matches. Victories over Sunderland and Birmingham City, both coming at Molineux, provided manager Mick McCarthy with some much needed relief after seeing his team previously go four matches without registering a single point. Finally the players are starting to really pull the weight and the football club as a whole are beginning to see the end product for a change.

A couple of recent successes isn’t enough to put their alarming first half of the season in the shade, with the Midlander’s having already reached double figures in the loss column. More worrying than anything else is the fact seven of those have come when Wolves have gone travelling, although, what with Wolves at home this weekend, in the meantime it will be viewed as positive for punters as it means only three of their league defeats this season have come at Molineux, home of a very hungry Wolves side.

The togetherness of the group is starting to shine through, with every goal celebrated as though a match-winning strike in itself and every victory savoured like it could be their last, and with the form Wolves have been in this season, they’re right to take that approach, as three points really have been at a premium this season. Just four wins from their opening 17 matches of the season is relegation form all over, but their reprieve comes in the form of the morale in camp, as well as home form. At homes Wolves have been such a tough nut to crack this season, so often undeserving in defeat but very much worthy of every point they collect. Above all else, the players are giving nothing less than 110% under Mick McCarthy, so while Mick may well be without half-a-dozen first-team regulars and some real star quality, few can begrudge the work ethic of his team on match days.

Wigan Athletic

Fans of Wigan Athletic were handed an early Christmas present when manager Roberto Martinez confirmed his desire and intent to retain the services of both Charles N’Zogbia and Hugo Rodellega, Wigan’s most creative and prolific outlets, until at least the summer meaning the Latics won’t be weakened in the second half of the season as they strive to fight for their Premiership status.

The Latics have come across many crunch encounters in their time but few have had more riding on the outcome than Sunday’s relegation scrap with Wolves, who lye just one place behind them in the table and would relegate Wigan to 19th with a win at Molineux. However, victory for Wigan, repeating the feat they’ve achieved last term when winning 2-0, would see them leap out of the bottom three and greatly enhance their chances of starting the new year in a much healthier position.

Quite how they’ll succeed in snatching all three points from the grasp of Wolves we aren’t sure, with their record away from home this season abysmal to say the very least. They began brightly enough, beating Tottenham 1-0 at White Hart Lane, though it’s been downhill since with Wigan going on to lose four of their following seven away encounters in the Premier League, the majority of which came against mediocre opposition. Furthermore, based on the current league table, previous away clashes with those in close proximity have all gone against the Latics, losing 2-0 at Fulham, 3-1 at West Ham and conjuring only a 0-0 draw away to Birmingham City.

In the crunch encounters this season, Wigan have bottled it. It’s as simple as that. Just recently they were presented with a massive game with bottom of the league West Ham, and although it was an away fixture the final result showed just how spineless they’ve been in the relegation six-pointers. When you throw in their lack of confidence sustained from a severe lack of wins – Just 3 all season – with an alarming lack of goal nutrition – posting the weakest offensive record in the entire league and having mustered only 5 away goals in 8 away outings – it really doesn’t bode well for Roberto Martinez’s charges, who have this knack of appearing doomed but somehow manage to produce a result out of the blue to ease the threat of relegation.

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Last 5 Matches

Wolves

Premiership: Wolves 1-0 Birmingham City
Premiership: Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Wolves
Premiership: Wolves 3-2 Sunderland
Premiership: Blackpool 2-1 Wolves
Premiership: Wolves 2-3 Bolton Wanderers

Wigan Athletic

Premiership: Everton 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Stoke City
Carling Cup: Arsenal 2-0 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: West Ham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Manchester United 2-0 Wigan Athletic

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Head-to-Head

2010/2011: Wigan Athletic 2-0 Wolves
2009/2010: Wolves 0-2 Wigan Athletic
2009/2010: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Wolves

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Wolves

League Position: 19th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-3-10 (Home: 4-2-3)
Form: LLWLW (Home: WLLWW)
Top Scorer: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (4)

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 18th
Win-Draw-Lose: 3-7-7 (Away: 1-3-4)
Form: WLLDD (Away: LLLLD)
Goal Difference: 13-28 (Away: 5-11)
Top Scorer: Hugo Rodellega (4)

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Match Odds:

Wolves – 2.15 totesport
Draw – 3.40 SkyBet
Wigan Athletic – 3.90 bWin