West Midlands derby: Wolverhampton vs West Bromwich Albion prediction
Wolverhampton and West Bromwich Albion will meet on Sunday, September 20, in the eighth round of the English Championship. The match will be played at Molineux Stadium, with kick-off at 13:00 CET. I am backing the total number of goals in this game.
H2H and statistical facts
- Wolves are unbeaten at home in five consecutive matches.
- Wolverhampton have won just one of their last four matches.
- West Brom are unbeaten in four consecutive matches.
- Wolves have not beaten West Brom at home since 2011.
Wolves intend to return to the Premier League at the first attempt
Wolverhampton have made a fairly confident start to the season and sit seventh in the table after six matches. At the same time, they have a game in hand over most of their rivals.
The latest results also favor the hosts. After losing 4-2 to West Ham, Wolverhampton have gone unbeaten in two consecutive Championship matches. The team drew 2-2 with Birmingham before securing a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United.
Wolverhampton's attacking potential is particularly noteworthy. Fourteen goals in six matches is one of the best records in the league. However, the defense has not looked quite as reliable: conceding 10 goals means opponents are regularly finding opportunities to launch counterattacks. That could prove to be one of the key factors in the derby.
It should also be noted that, unlike their opponents, Wolves played a Carabao Cup match in midweek. Peixoto's side put up a fight against Everton but ultimately lost and were knocked out of the competition.
Can WBA mount a promotion challenge?
West Bromwich go into the derby even higher up the table. After seven matches, the team sit fourth with 14 points. Their record stands at four wins, two draws and one defeat, while they trail leaders West Ham, Middlesbrough and Swansea only on goal difference and other tiebreakers.
The team have made a consistent start to the season. West Bromwich opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Norwich, then beat Burnley 3-1 before suffering their first defeat against Middlesbrough — 3-1. However, that setback remains their only league loss so far. Since then, the team have drawn with Charlton, beaten Watford, defeated Derby County and shared the points with Queens Park Rangers in the last round — 1-1.
The latest matches show that West Bromwich can pick up points even in games that do not produce many goals. Four of the team's last five matches have ended either in a one-goal victory or a draw. Therefore, the visitors will likely focus first and foremost on denying Wolverhampton the space to launch quick attacks in the derby.
West Bromwich look very confident in terms of their league position, but the away trip to a fierce rival will be a serious test. The team will have to cope with the hosts' attacking power while also finding ways to threaten their goal regularly. If West Bromwich can impose a cautious, compact style of football, the visitors will have a good chance of taking points away from Molineux.
Probable lineups
- Wolverhampton: Sa, Bueno, Krejci, Djiga, Chachua, Munetsi, Andre, Lopez, Mane, Gomes, Armstrong.
- West Bromwich Albion: O`Leary, Townsend, Mepham, Phillips, Styles, Molumby, Collier, Mure, Nzingula, Price, Heggbe.
What to bet on?
Both teams are in the upper half of the table and head into the derby in good form, so expecting an open game with plenty of goals would be risky. Wolverhampton score significantly more, while West Bromwich have shown greater defensive consistency. Therefore, I recommend betting on under 3 total goals.
