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West Brom vs Wolves predictions
- West Brom/Draw double chance – 10/11 at BetUK
- Matheus Cunha to score at any time – 21/10 at BetVictor
- Conor Townsend to be shown a card – 4/1 at BoyleSports
West Brom host Wolves in the first Black Country derby between the two rivals in three years with a place in the FA Cup fifth round on the line (11.45am, ITV1).
The Baggies are chasing promotion back to the Premier League and enter this game fifth in the Championship.
While the league is Albion’s priority, there are massive expectations heading into this game against rivals Wolves, who are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions but have a dreadful record at The Hawthorns.
Gary O’Neil’s team saw off Brentford in the last round of the FA Cup. This, however, will be West Brom’s biggest test in the competition so far having beaten Aldershot Town of the fifth tier in the third round.
Betting sites have priced Wolves as the favourites to progress, but this should be a competitive tie between two rival teams.
Home advantage gives West Brom chance of an upset
West Brom are currently on a four-match winning run at home in all competitions. Carlos Corberan’s team have made The Hawthorns something of a fortress of late and they shouldn’t be discounted when examining the FA Cup odds for this tie.
Going even further back, the Baggies have lost just one of their last 12 matches in front of their own fans and that one defeat came against the runaway Championship table-toppers Leicester City.
On top of this, West Brom have scored eight goals in their last two home matches (against Aldershot Town and Blackburn Rovers). Tom Fellows scored in both games and could be a threat against Wolves too.
Of course, Wolves are stronger opposition than West Brom are accustomed to in the English second tier, but there are signs to suggest the Baggies could force a replay, especially when looking at this game on gambling sites.
Football betting sites give West Brom a good chance of pulling off an upset against higher tier opposition, but there is still value in backing the Baggies/draw in the double chance market at odds-on.
West Brom vs Wolves Tip 1: West Brom/Draw double chance – 10/11 at BetUK
Cunha’s good goalscoring form to continue
With Hwang Hee-chan still with the South Korea national team at the Asian Cup, the goalscoring onus for Wolves against West Brom will largely fall on Matheus Cunha.
The Brazilian forward has found a rich vein of form recently, scoring five goals in his last 11 matches in all competitions, including in the FA Cup third-round replay win over Brentford.
It’s possible Pedro Neto will start through the centre just as he did in the goalless draw against Brighton on Monday, but Cunha will be an important part of the frontline even if he is deployed as a second striker or in a wide position.
Wolves have generally struggled for firepower on the road this season - look at how O’Neil’s team have scored more than one goal in just one of their last five away matches in all competitions.
However, if Wolves are to pose a goal threat against West Brom at The Hawthorns, Cunha will be among the most likely to find the back of the net.
Neto’s return from injury means Wolves have their chief provider back and Cunha may be ready to profit on Sunday.
West Brom vs Wolves Tip 2: Matheus Cunha to score at any time – 21/10 at BetVictor
Baggies defenders may have their hands full
Even if West Brom are able to secure a positive result to either make the FA Cup fifth round or force a replay at Molineux, there will be periods of Sunday’s match during where they will find themselves on the back foot.
Cunha and Neto are both players who like to carry the ball and take on opposition defenders and this could force West Brom’s defenders into some difficult decisions.
Conor Townsend is averaging just 0.5 tackles per game in the Championship this season, but attackers like Cunha and Neto will give the West Brom full-back more to think about. This will be a test for the Baggies in a defensive sense.
Despite his low number of fouls committed per match this season, Townsend is known for his aggressive approach and could get physical in his efforts to stop the likes of Cunha, Neto and Pablo Sarabia, who all like to drive with the ball.
As a team, West Brom have committed the fewest number of fouls in the Championship this season. However, they have collected 52 yellow cards in just 28 fixtures and betting apps are offering 5/1 on Townsend to enter the referee’s book.
West Brom vs Wolves Tip 3: Conor Townsend to be shown a card – 4/1 at BoyleSports
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
