Football
Wolves vs West Ham Preview: Odds, Tips & Predictions
Date: Saturday, January 3 Venue: Molineux Kick-off: 3pm GMT Wolves take on fellow strugglers West Ham in what could be a critical Premier League game on Saturday, January 3. To date, it has been a miserable campaign for Wolves, who are in serious danger of breaking the unwanted record of being relegated with the lowest points tally, which was set by Derby (11). As far as West Ham are concerned, although they aren’t anchored to the bottom of the table like their hosts, Nuno Santo’s men have had a dismal campaign, and they are disproving the theory that you can be too good to go down. For any given Premier League clash, you can find odds readily available at the best football betting sites.SportsBoom is also on hand to give you the lowdown, and apart from a full Wolves vs West Ham preview, we’ve shared some tips and stats to put you in the picture.
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Rob Edwards of Wolverhampton Wanderers/Getty Images
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Wolves Shading It
Ahead of this vital encounter, Premier League betting sites will have pre-match odds, and we’ve gauged the prices of the main matchwinner market.
Home: 7/5 (2.40) – 41.7%
Draw: 11/5 (3.20) – 31.3%
Away: 7/4 (2.75) – 36.4%
*Odds courtesy of QuinnBet, subject to change.
Head-to-Head Record
Premier League head-to-head records offer interesting glimpses, and this is how recent matches between Wolves and West Ham have unfolded:
Last Five Meetings (Premier League)
01/04/25: Wolves 1-0 West Ham
09/12/24: West Ham 2-1 Wolves
06/04/24: Wolves 1-2 West Ham
17/12/23: West Ham 3-0 Wolves
14/01/23: Wolves 1-0 West Ham
Wolves Current Form - LLLLL
Luckless and in rotten form, Wolves are rock bottom of the table, and Christmas brought little respite. A 2-1 defeat away to Liverpool saw Wolves create chances, but they are in danger of going down with one of the worst points return ever.
There has been no lack of endeavour from Rob Edwards’ charges, however, they just can’t seem to buy a win. Porous at the back, Wolves seem to be cut at will.
Although they produced a low block away to Arsenal, they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the Emirates, and relegation seems almost inevitable. It’s a case of when, rather than if it will happen.
Key Players to Watch
- Santiago Bueno
Although the defence has been largely dreadful, Santiago Bueno can hold his head high with his ability to read danger as well as pop up with goals at the other end of the pitch. He’s netted twice this term, and he will be key once again. - Hwang Hee-chan
Lively and in his fourth season at the club, Hwang Hee-chan has been through the highs and lows at Wolves. Though he’s only scored once in the league this season, the South Korean forward often catches our eye when he plays. - David Moller Wolfe
Despite mainly reduced to cameo roles, David Moller Wolfe gives Wolves a different dimension, and he’s contributed two league assists this term, so West Ham will need to stifle him.
Wolves Team News
Wolves have quite a hefty injury list, and a few players are still working their way back to fitness, including Rodrigo Gomes (thigh), who remains unavailable.
West Ham Team News – DDLLL
West Ham’s situation might not be as dire as Wolves’, as they are just a few points adrift of safety, but they haven’t helped themselves.
The defeats have been racking up, and against Fulham, West Ham were on course to clinch a draw. However, slack defending meant Raul Jimenez crept in at the back post to slot the winner with five minutes remaining.
Facing Wolves feels like a six-pointer for West Ham, and they need to get their house in order
Key Players to Watch
- Jarrod Bowen
Although he fired blanks against Fulham, Jarrod Bowen is still West Ham’s main talisman, and he puts a shiver down the spine of defences with his clever movement. He’s happy to shoot on sight, and he’s weighed in with five league goals, which is respectable. - Crysencio Summerville
A winger that loves to dribble with the ball and loves challenging himself in one-on-ones, he’s grown with every game this term. Summerville’s pace could also cause Wolves problems. - Mateus Fernandes
An energetic midfielder, Mateus Fernandes has scored twice in the league this term, and he was vibrant against Aston Villa. He could put Wolves on the back foot if he hits his stride early on.
West Ham Team News
West Ham have a relatively clean bill of health, with Lukasz Fabianski (back) currently the only player sidelined, with Alphonse Areola continuing to deputise in goal.
Predicted Line-Ups
Wolves (3-4-2-1)
Sa; Mosquera, Bueno, Krejci, Doherty, Andre, Gomes, Moller Wolfe, Mane, Hee-Chan; Arokodare
West Ham (4-3-2-1)
Areola; Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles, Magassa, Potts, Fernandes, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen
Suggested Bets
Premier League sportsbooks are always well covered with markets, and we’ve divulged a few football betting tips to ponder.
First Team to Score – Wolves: Despite the lack of goals scored this season, Wolves have hit the front in two of their past three league clashes with West Ham, so this line sticks out. (10/11 with Unibet)
First Half Goals – Under 1.5: Generally speaking, this hasn’t been a fixture laden with goals, especially in the first half. Only once in the past four league meetings has there been two or more goals netted in the first 45 minutes, so Under 1.5 goals in the first half makes sense. (2/5 with William Hill)
Wolves (Double Chance): Wolves have won three of the past four league clashes at home against West Ham, and while they seem to be playing for pride at the moment, a win or draw for the hosts is possible. (2/5 with Bet442)
Value Bets
Winning Margin - Wolves to Win by 1 Goal: When Wolves have beaten West Ham at home, it has often been by one goal. We like to look for patterns, and this stands out. (29/10 with Kwiff)
Half with Most Goals – Second Half: Sometimes, this fixture has been a slow burner, so the second half could explode into life. (11/10 with Betway)
Wolves to Win & BTTS: Given Wolves are the only team not to keep a clean sheet this term, they could win, but the BTTS line might also be fulfilled. (18/5 with Midnite)
Prediction: Wolves to Win
While it might seem hard on first glance to make a strong case for Wolves, they have been doing their utmost to drag themselves out of trouble. There have been numerous examples over the past few weeks where they haven’t been able to turn the tide, but the energy levels haven’t dipped. West Ham have often come unstuck in recent seasons at Wolves, and it could be a tight game, but one where Wolves edge it.
Charles Perrin has spent over six years writing about sports betting, working with some of the UK’s top sportsbooks, including bet365 and William Hill.
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