Wolves vs Bournemouth: Betting Odds & Prediction
(Featured image: Alamy Images)
Molineux is the venue as Wolves take on Bournemouth in a mid-table clash in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
Just a single point separates the sides ahead of their midweek clash, as both sides target a top half finish. A late Sasa Kalajdzic winner gave Wolves a 2-1 victory down on the South Coast in the reverse fixture back in October. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:45 pm UK time.
Recent Form
Wolves
Gary O’Neil will be hoping his side can finish the season strongly, starting with a visit from his former side on Wednesday. A 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Saturday was the latest in a run of five league matches without a win.
The majority of Wolves’ success this season has come in front of their home fans, with seven of their twelve league wins coming at Molineux. They have won 44% of their home matches, a key ingredient in their current standing in eleventh.
Wolves have scored 46 goals in the Premier League this season, at an average of 1.39 goals per match, with exactly half of these scored at Molineux. Their performance in front of goal has exceeded their expected goals stat of 1.16, although they may well be without their top scorer Matheus Cunha for the visit of Bournemouth as he nurses a calf injury.
The defensive exploits of Wolves have closely aligned with their expected goals against stat (xGA) of 1.57, having conceded 53 goals at an average of 1.61 per match. They have only managed to register clean sheets in 15% of their league matches this season.
Matches involving Wolves have tended to produce plenty of goals, with 67% of their Premier League matches seeing both teams score.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth can play with relative freedom in the closing weeks of the campaign, after an impressive first season under Andoni Iraola. After an excellent run of five games unbeaten throughout March, the Cherries are without a win in their previous three, culminating in their 3-1 defeat at Villa Park on Sunday.
Iraola’s team have managed five away wins this season, to go alongside their six at home. Bournemouth have actually scored more goals away this season, with 51% of their current tally of 48 coming away from the Vitality Stadium. They have scored in all but one of their away matches in the league this season.
Bournemouth have shipped 60 goals in league matches so far,, at an average of 1.82 per match, a figure higher than their xGA stat of 1.52. They have conceded 57% of these goals in their away matches.
Dominic Solanke has eighteen league goals to his name, establishing himself as a firm contender for the golden boot, currently two behind the joint leading mark of Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland.
The Cherries have been particularly entertaining on the road, with 75% of their away matches seeing both teams score.
Prediction
Both Wolves and Bournemouth have earned the right to enjoy the remaining weeks of the season with the pressure off. Neither will want the season to fizzle out, with both coming into the game off the back of a winless run.
Bournemouth’s record of goal-filled matches on the road, coupled with the freedom that both sides can now play with, leads us to expect plenty of goalmouth action at Molineux on Wednesday. Dom Solanke will be very keen to continue his bid to win the golden boot.