Wolves are at home to Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm; TV: Live on Sky Sports). Can the hosts kick on after their win last weekend? Or will there be more disappointment for the home fans at Molineux? This WWFC vs LCFC preview will take a good look at this game before concluding with our betting tips.
Wolves made a timely return to winning ways last weekend, beating Tottenham by two goals to nil on the road. On that occasion, they were quickly into stride, before sticking to their guns and holding firm at the back. Given that the win in North London followed back-to-back defeats, one of which was terribly disappointing, manager Bruno Lage will be hoping his side have built a platform from which they build.
As for the visitors, things haven’t exactly been going swimmingly of late. Yes, they arrive here unbeaten in two, and they did score four goals against Danish side Randers in the Europa League on Thursday evening. They are without a win in five Premier League matches, while they saw victory snatched away at the death when hosting West Ham last week. Defensively, things haven’t really been good enough in recent weeks, nor have their attacking efforts been what is expected of a side that certainly isn’t short of offensive talent.
Mixed bag at home
Home hasn’t really been where the heart is for Wolves this season. The hosts have won only four of their 11 Premier League fixtures at Molineux, losing five of the other six. When a 3-1 win against Southampton signalled three home games without defeat, two of which they won, it looked as though the Wanderers had got things together on their own patch, though they have since lost two on the bounce at home, coming up short against both Arsenal and Norwich.
If one thing has held Lage’s side back this season, especially when playing in front of their own fans, it is a lack of firepower. Wolves have scored just eight goals in their 11 home games, failing to score in a whopping 64% of their matches in front of a home crowd that has often been left disappointed with the lack of offensive potency on show. No team has scored fewer home goals than Wolves in the Premier League this season. Therein lies the problem.
Struggling on the road
Their own record at home probably won’t leave the hosts feeling too confident, though the recent record of Leicester on the road may mean that Wolverhampton Wanderers come into this game feeling upbeat.
Away from the comforts of the King Power Stadium, Leicester City have been finding life tough recently. Last time out on the road, they were beaten by Liverpool, a result that marked three straight away EPL defeats. In all competitions, the Foxes are now without an away-day victory in eight. Their last travelling win in the league came back in October 2021, when they beat Brentford by two goals to one.
Keeping teams at bay is something that Brendan Rodgers’ men have failed to do on their travels, shipping 23 goals in just ten away matches. Interestingly, they are the only Premier League side to have conceded in every away game this season. In fact, in only three away games have Leicester City conceded less than two goals. If they are to move closer to repeating last season’s achievement of qualifying for Europe, then defending better is an absolute must.
Goals usually stay away
In general, this is a low-scoring fixture. When the pair met earlier in the campaign, Leicester won by a goal to nil, courtesy of first-half strike from the ever-present Jamie Vardy, the latest in a long line of goal-starved meetings between the pair.
None of the last five renewals of this fixture have contained more than a single goal. Three of those five have ended 0-0. Just as goal-filled games are rare between this pair, it is not often that Wolves come out on top. Sunday’s hosts got the better back in 2019, their only victory in the last eight renewals of this fixture.
WWFC vs LCFC betting tips opportunities
It is easy to look at this fixture and be wholly uninspired by both teams, though at the prices, believe it or not, it may just pay to take a punt on the visitors. Yes, Rodgers’ team are without a win on the road for some time, but this must be classed as an opportunity to change that.
Wolves’ offensive struggles present the visitors with the chance to tighten up at the back. After all, we are talking about a home team that averages just 0.72 goals at this venue, a team that has now failed to score in their last two here, netting in only two of their last seven in front of a home crowd. Such stats make the visitors look slightly overpriced, especially when we dig a little deeper into their away form.
OK, the Foxes have lost each of their last three away games in the Premier League, but two of those came against Liverpool and Man City, while they were only narrowly touched off by a solid Villa side before that.
If we look at their record away against teams outside of the current top six, then Leicester have drawn three, won two and lost two, scoring more goals in those seven games than Wolves have in 11 games at home overall. On this basis, a small play on ‘Leicester City Draw No Bet’ appeals at slightly generous-looking odds of 11/8. So for our preview’s betting tips, it is just that one:
- Leicester City draw no bet @ best odds of 11/8 with BetVictor.
Bradley Gibbs is an experienced football writer. He is an expert analyst on Premier League, and all global football leagues & tournaments, for Just Bookies. Bradley has been published by many respected outlets, including USA Betting and the Racing & Football Outlook. He has also written betting strategy guides.