England Premier League
Monday 3rd May 2021
Kick off at 6pm BST
Venue: The Hawthorns
Match Preview:
Mathematically West Bromwich Albion are not down, but we all know that they really are as they head into this game 11 points from safety with just 15 left to play for. The Baggies would need to win every game and hope that Burnley and Newcastle lost all of theirs, it just isn’t going to happen.
So with that said how do West Brom approach this game? The simple fact is that they must play to win and enjoy their football knowing the inevitable, plus perhaps there is a little motivation to finish in 18th place and overtake Fulham, little victories and all that.
Form for the Baggies is decent with 7 points gained from their last 15 and that includes great victories over Chelsea and Southampton. They also drew 2-2 against Aston Villa in the Midlands derby but in between all of that they were outclassed up at Leicester losing 3-0. With just 3 victories at home this season that just underlines what has hampered the club as Sam Allardyce is finally set to see a team he has managed be relegated. Perhaps his one saving grace is that he can tell everyone that he only took the job from December after Slaven Bilic was fired.
Wolves are 12th and no matter if they win this game they will remain in that position. It might be hard for the players to get excited by this game because in truth there is very little to play for. The club are safe, thankfully but at the other end of the scale there will be no European football for them next season. Currently as it stands Wolves are 12 points from that objective. Last weekend put the writing on the ball as they were smashed 4-0 at home against Burnley. The worry for manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s is that his players minds have switched off and they are ‘on the beach’. That reference has always felt brutal to be laid upon a professional athlete but sometimes, at least in past seasons, it has felt that way towards the end of the season when clubs have nothing to play for.
Recent away form isn’t the worst for Wolves though and they have lost just once in their last four outings. Their last away game ended in a 1-0 victory over 18th placed Fulham.
Team News:
West Bromwich Albion: Robert Snodgrass will be assessed for a return after his knee injury. Branislav Ivanovic could well miss the rest of the season with his hamstring.
Wolves: Marcal is still a doubt with his groin injury. Jonny is out long term with his knee injury. Joao Moutinho will be assessed after his ankle injury but is touch and go. Pedro Neto is out for the season with a knee injury. Raul Jimenez is still out after his head injury and there has been no further update on him.
West Brom vs Wolves Head to Head:
In their last 24 meetings only 1 game has finished 0-0.
The last time they played each other at The Hawthorns was back in 2011 and West Bromwich Albion won 2-0.
West Bromwich Albion have won the last 3 meetings against the teams and have scored 8 goals in their last two meetings.
You’d have to go back to 1996 to find the last time Wolves won away to West Brom.
West Brom vs Wolves Prediction:
In essence neither team has anything to play for. Of course that isn’t completely true West Brom have a little more to play for and that is survival even though it would take a miracle to do so. But at the end of the day relegation isn’t certain when this game kicks off and Allardyce’s team have to give it there all, they are simply obliged too.
We can’t have much confidence in Wolves after their 4-0 defeat at home to Burnley and as we have said before the club really don’t have much to play for. That can sometimes have a strange effect on a group of players who can pull out surprise results and play good football. The key though is in the early exchanges of the game, if the home side can score early, Wolves could lose heart. Either way the home win seems like the wisest choice to take on but with the safety of covering the draw with the refund.
West Brom vs Wolves Betting Tips:
Asian handicap (0.0 West Bromwich Albion) at 1.99
Anytime goalscorer: Matheus Pereira at 2.75
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