Wolverhampton will be looking to respond to their cup exit
At Molineux, there is a Premier League match coming up that has a lot of significance for both teams. A Wolverhampton vs. West Ham tip is not that easy, because both do not perform according to plan. A slightly positive trend could be seen recently with the home side.
Also for the bookmakers a difficult question arises before this match. The bookmakers do not nominate a favourite on the basis of their odds, the teams are too close together and there are too many question marks surrounding their current form.
The difference is that Wolves have already made their coaching change, while West Ham are at least discussing it. So it’s opposite conditions. The question that now arises is: who looks more stable? A defeat could have negative consequences for both.
Wolverhampton – statistics & current form
For Wolverhampton, the season so far has not really gone well. However, new coach Julen Lopetegui managed to create something like a little euphoria or a sense of optimism for the first time. Four points from three league games were as many as in nine games in total before. There was also a strong game against Liverpool in the FA Cup, a 2-2 draw away from home, so there will be a replay.
However, a small setback followed during the week. After a 1-1 draw at Nottingham, Wolves were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. It was an exhausting game in phases that ended in disappointment. Does this have negative consequences for the match that follows now? A Wolverhampton vs. West Ham prediction is not that easy because there are a lot of open questions.
If you expect a spectacle, you will be wrong in this match. Wolverhampton have only scored eleven goals in the league, no team is worse. Podence and Neves have four goals each, no other player has scored more than once. 14 points from the 18 games played so far is no mean feat either. There have been three wins, no team has fewer.
Wolverhampton must continue to stabilise
The fact that the hosts are in a relegation place with this record can almost be deduced by itself from the statistics. A fight to stay in the relegation zone is looming, which will last until the end of the season. That is why the club is still looking for further reinforcements in the winter. After all, the average number of points scored at home was slightly higher than away from home, even if the overall result is marginal.
The match against West Ham is also important because Manchester City and Liverpool await Wolves in the league. In the game that follows, the focus will naturally be on avoiding mistakes. Even in the deepest relegation battle, a point is more important and better than a defeat. That’s why the hosts are likely to start this game compactly.
This will also have an impact on the assessment of the match. Because before the Wolverhampton vs West Ham match, our prediction is that less than 2.5 goals will be scored.
Predicted Wolverhampton line-up:
José Sa – Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Ait-Nouri – Ruben Neves, Moutinho, Matheus Nunes – Guedes, Podence, Jimenez
Last matches played by Wolverhampton:
Carabao Cup
12/01/2023 – Nottingham Forest (4)1 – 1(3) Wolverhampton
FA Cup
08/01/2023 – Liverpool FC 2 – 2 Wolverhampton
Premier League
05/01/2023 – Aston Villa 1 – 1 Wolverhampton
31/12/2022 – Wolverhampton 0 – 1 Manchester United
26/12/2022 – Everton 1 – 2 Wolverhampton
West Ham – Statistics & current form
While there were at least some positives to report from Wolverhampton, the situation at West Ham currently looks very bad. The team is still ahead of Wolves, but has completely different expectations. The club from London wanted to aim in the direction of the top 7 again and establish itself at the top, but the reality is different. And that despite a very decent squad.
Most recently, they celebrated a 1-0 win at Brentford in the FA Cup. After that, West Ham had a week’s break while the hosts played in the cup. Perhaps that will turn out to be an advantage. Nevertheless, the form does not speak for the guests, from the last six league games there was no victory, only one point jumped out in this time.
Many defeats were close. But games against Brentford, Leicester or Crystal Palace are not to be lost by a team like West Ham. A lot is now at stake against Wolves and Everton, followed by Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham. Coach Moyes needs wins and he needs them badly.
West Ham much weaker away from home
The away record is particularly dismal. West Ham have just one win away from home, scoring just 0.56 points (1.11 at home) per game and scoring just six goals. The offence, similar to Wolves, has greater difficulty in creating danger. 15 goals in 24 games is not what you would expect from an offence with the likes of Bowen, Antonio, Lanzini and co.
Given the record of both teams, it’s hard to put any team in a favourites’ role. For this reason, our value tip before the Wolverhampton vs. West Ham match is that not both teams will score.
Predicted West Ham line-up:
Fabianski – Dawson, Aguerd, Ogbonna – Johnson, Soucek, Rice, Emerson – Paqueta – Benrahma, Antonio
Last matches played by West Ham:
FA Cup
08/01/2023 – Brentford 0 – 1 West Ham
Premier League
05/01/2023 – Leeds 2 – 2 West Ham
31/12/2022 – West Ham 0 – 2 Brentford
27/12/2022 – Arsenal FC 3 – 1 West Ham
Club friendlies
17/12/2022 – Fulham 1 – 1 West Ham
Wolverhampton – West Ham Direct comparison / H2H record
33 direct duels went to West Ham, 23 to Wolverhampton. So there is not a huge difference in the direct comparison. However, West Ham have won four of their last five Premier League games, three of which they have won without conceding a goal.
Wolverhampton – West Ham Tip
Wolverhampton and West Ham both need good results. The teams are stuck in the bottom of the table and currently it doesn’t look like anything will change in a timely manner.
Both have a lot of catching up to do, especially in the forward play. Therefore, before the match between Wolverhampton and West Ham, our tip is that less than 2.5 goals will be scored.
