Wolves host West Brom at Molineux in the first Black Country derby with fans present in 14 years, looking to end the Baggies’ four-match unbeaten run.
This is the first league meeting between the two rivals in five years, and it arrives with genuine needle attached given the crowd trouble that marred their FA Cup meeting at The Hawthorns in January 2024. Wolves go into the game without Raul Jimenez, Yerson Mosquera and Rafiki Said through injury, while West Brom will be without right-back Nolan Galves and long-term absentee Mikey Johnson.
Both sides have scored freely this season, but James Morrison's Baggies have made their name on defensive organisation, setting up a fascinating clash of styles at Molineux.
Who is the Betting Favourite in Wolves vs West Brom?
Wolves are the favourites to win the derby at home, priced around 8/11 in the match-winner market. West Brom, despite arriving unbeaten in four and boasting the meaner defensive record of the two, are out at roughly 4/1, with the draw available at around 10/3.
Home advantage and Wolves' recent scoring form put them ahead in the betting, but West Brom's resilience away from home and their record of not losing at Molineux since 2011 mean this is far from a formality.
Wolves vs West Brom Best Betting Tip
Best Bet: Half Time Result - Draw
Stake: 1pt
Best Odds: 13/10 (Betway)
West Brom have won their last two visits to Molineux, with a half-time draw landing in one of those two games. Under 2.5 goals has also hit in four of West Brom's last five outings, a sign that both these sides can be more cautious than their overall scoring numbers suggest, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.
Wolves' own record backs up the pattern too, with half-time draws hitting in all three of their last three games, while three of West Brom's last five matches have also gone level at the break. In a derby of this magnitude, neither side is likely to want to be the one that concedes first, and that caution makes a cagey first half a genuine possibility.
Wolves vs West Brom Bet Builder Tip
Our Bet Builder Tip includes the following legs for the Wolves vs West Brom game:
- Both Teams To Score - Yes
- Isaac Price - Over 0.5 Shots On Target
- Ousmane Diakité - To Be Shown A Card
- Jimmy-Jay Morgan - Over 1.5 Fouls Won
Best odds of 15/1 at bet365 at the time of writing.
The first leg backs both teams to score, a market that has hit in five of West Brom's last seven matches, and in four of the last five head-to-head meetings between these two at Molineux specifically. With both sides scoring freely this season, this looks the most straightforward leg of the four.
The second leg looks at Isaac Price for over 0.5 shots on target, a line he's cleared in five of his last seven games. He's averaging 1.35 shots on target per 90 this season and has only failed to clear this mark in two of his nine matches, though his away form has been slightly quieter, with a spread of 0, 1, 2, 1 and 2 across his last five away starts.
The third leg backs Ousmane Diakité to be shown a card, a line that's landed in two of his last three appearances. The physical nature of a Black Country derby, with both sets of players desperate to win every duel, makes this exactly the kind of occasion where his discipline could be tested.
The final leg backs Jimmy-Jay Morgan for over 1.5 fouls won. His fouls won across his last five matches read 3, 2, 2, 1 and 5, and away from home specifically his last five games have produced 3, 1, 5, 2 and 0. As West Brom's top scorer and top assister this season, he's the player Wolves will be most keen to stop, and that extra attention should mean more fouls in his direction.
Wolves vs West Brom Team News
Wolves will be without Raul Jimenez for Sunday's Black Country derby after the striker suffered a knee injury during Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat to Everton. He joins Yerson Mosquera and Rafiki Said on the sidelines, while Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has returned to action after making his first appearance of the season at Everton.
With Jimenez unavailable, Adam Armstrong is expected to lead the Wolves attack. Cesar Peixoto made nine changes for the midweek cup defeat and is expected to restore much of the side that started the 1-0 Championship win over Sheffield United.
West Brom will also be without a key defender, with Nolan Galves ruled out with a knee injury. Brayann Pereira is available again following suspension, although Callum Styles could retain his place at right-back. Mikey Johnston remains sidelined with a long-term ankle injury.
The Baggies head into the derby unbeaten in their last four Championship matches, with two wins and two draws during that run.
Wolves Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sa; Tchatchoua, Djiga, Krejci, Bueno; Andre, Munetsi; Gomes, Lopez, Mane; Armstrong
Peixoto is expected to revert towards his strongest available XI after rotating heavily at Everton, with Armstrong replacing the injured Jimenez up front.
West Brom Predicted Lineup (4-4-2): O'Leary; Styles, Phillips, Campbell, Townsend; Molumby, Nzingoula, Whitwell, Price; Morgan, Heggebo
Styles could continue at right-back despite Pereira's return from suspension, while Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Heggebo are expected to lead the Baggies' attack.
The predicted XIs remain subject to late changes, with the official teams expected approximately an hour before Sunday's 12pm BST kick-off at Molineux.
Wolves vs West Brom Match Prediction
Wolves should have home advantage in what promises to be a tightly contested Black Country derby. West Brom's four-match unbeaten run makes them a difficult opponent, but Wolves could edge it in front of their home supporters.
Prediction: Wolves 2-1 West Brom
Wolves vs West Brom Player Card Bets
Player Card Bet: Ousmane Diakité - To Be Shown A Card
Best odds: 21/10 (Ladbrokes)
Ousmane Diakité's fouls committed across his last nine starts read 1, 2, 0, 1, 3, 2, 2, 1 and 2, and he's been booked in six of his last 10 appearances, a rate that already makes him one of the more card-prone players on either side. With the Midlands derby raising the stakes and the physicality that comes with it, this line adds up on its own even without needing to lean on the Bet Builder above.
