PREMIER LEAGUE SUNDAY: The Striker previews Sunday’s only game in the Premier League WEST HAM v WOLVES at 2pm with a recommended BETDAQ bet and extended match stats.
WEST HAM V WOLVES
2pm Just the one Premier League fixture on Sunday as West Ham host Wolves. All eyes will be on the Carabao Cup Final later at Wembley between Chelsea and Liverpool, but this is an excellent starter on BETDAQ Betting Exchange before the main course. Both sides come into this game having had setbacks recently, but we should have a very competitive and enjoyable game of football.
The Arsenal win over Wolves on Thursday night had a massive impact on the Top Four race. If Wolves held on for that final ten minutes things would look very different. You’d probably say that these two are still in the mix for that fourth spot but West Ham started the weekend three points behind Arsenal having played two games more, and that loss to Arsenal makes it highly unlikely for Wolves to finish fourth too. That being said, Manchester United and Arsenal have been so unreliable this season who knows what could happen but Arsenal are odds on for that fourth spot now.
Despite the fact that a Top Four finish is unlikely, both sides have to keep trying and just see where they end up. Don’t forget that there’s Europa League spots up for grabs too and that will be a nice financial boost for both sides. Although we had to wait until very late, it was nice to land our bet on Arsenal midweek against Wolves, and again Wolves played average football. They conceded an xG of 2.71 and that follows on from a poor performance against Leicester when they were lucky to win. They conceded an xG of 1.43 and only created 0.67. They have been grinding out results which is a credit to them, but you can see that they are not playing fully fluid football.
Before considering whether to back West Ham, you have to think the same about The Hammers. The draw with Newcastle last weekend was disappointing, although we know Newcastle are playing their best football of the season at the moment. West Ham have created xG figures of 1.0, 0.81, 1.11 and 0.32 in their last four Premier League games. Those are poor figures going forward and they need to improve – I feel they are just going through a little rough patch at the moment.
West Ham are rightly favourites, but they do feel a little short at 2.16. I expect a closer game than those odds suggest – Wolves are a very tough side to beat and given West Ham aren’t creating many chances at the moment they are going to have to grind out a win. I couldn’t put anyone off the West Ham lay, but I feel the stand out bet here is under 2.5 goals at 1.68. Both sides aren’t creating a lot in front of goal at the moment and I feel this fixture just lines up for unders to win. I can see a very close and competitive fixture with both sides almost cancelling each other out. 0-0 in the Correct Score market might be worth a small bet, but under 2.5 goals is a confident selection at 1.68.
The Striker Says:
Three points win Under 2.5 goals at 1.68 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQWeswol
MATCH STATS
● West Ham won this exact fixture 4-0 last season, having lost three of their last four home league games against Wolves. They’re looking to secure back-to-back home league wins against them for the first time since October 2004.
● Wolves have lost two of their last three league games against West Ham, as many as they had in their previous nine against them (W6 D1). However, they did win the reverse fixture this season 1-0 in November.
● Of all sides they’ve played more than six times in the competition, Wolves’ best win rate in the Premier League is against West Ham (55% – W6 D1 L4). Indeed, no side have Wolves beaten more in the Premier League than they have the Hammers (6).
● Wolves have won three of their last four Premier League games played on Sunday (D1), as many as they had in their previous 13 such games (W3 D3 L7).
● This will be West Ham’s 13th Sunday game in the Premier League this season, the most they’ve ever played on the day in a single campaign in the competition. They won five of their first seven such games this term (L2), but have failed to win any of their subsequent five (D2 L3).
● West Ham have both scored and conceded in 17 different Premier League games this season, with no side doing so more often in the competition this term. The Hammers have also found the net in all 13 of their Premier League home games so far this season, with their average of 1.8 goals per home game their best ratio in a single season at the London Stadium.
● West Ham’s shot conversion rate is 13.7% this season (45 goals from 329 shots), their highest on record in a single Premier League campaign (since 1997-98).
● In his English league career, West Ham’s Michail Antonio has faced Wolves more often without scoring than he has any other opponent – 820 minutes across 10 matches.
● Only against Everton and Southampton (5 each) has Wolves’ Raúl Jiménez scored more Premier League goals than he has against West Ham (4). However, three of his four strikes against the Hammers have come at Molineux.
● Jarrod Bowen has been involved in 16 Premier League goals for West Ham this season (8 goals, 8 assists). Only two English players have ever been involved in more in a single campaign for the Hammers in the competition – Marlon Harewood in 2005-06 (14 goals, 4 assists) and Trevor Morley in 1993-94 (13 goals, 4 assists).
