Wolverhampton Wanderers
V
Molineux Stadium
06/01/2018 | 3:00 pm
Swansea
V
Molineux Stadium
06/01/2018 | 3:00 pm
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Swansea City Betting Tips, Preview & Predictions
In a sentence: Top of the Championship host bottom of the Premier League, as Wolves face Swansea in the FA Cup at Molineux.
Last time: Swansea beat Wolves 4-0 in a friendly during the summer of 2016, but the last competitive game between the teams was in 2012. The Swans again found the back of the net four times, but so did Wolves, as they came back from 4-1 down to take a point from the Liberty Stadium.
This time: Wolves are 10/11 for the win, while Swansea are 7/2 and the draw is 5/2.
You might remember: Another Wolves comeback in the game before the 4-4 thriller. In the first meeting between the teams that season, Swansea were 2-0 up at Molineux before two goals in the last five minutes rescued a point for the home team.
Team News
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Last Six:
Wolves’ last six: Won: 4 Drawn: 2 Lost: 0
The hosts will be without their captain Danny Batth, after the defender was sent off early on in their victory at Bristol City. Ryan Bennett came on to replace Batth at the back, and after ending up scoring the winner at Ashton Gate, he’s in line to start this one.
Swansea's Last Six:
Swansea’s last six: Won: 2 Drawn: 1 Lost: 3
New Swans manager Carlos Carvalhal is without Kyle Naughton after the defender accepted a violent conduct charge for a stamp on Stefano Okaka. However, Wilfried Bony, Tammy Abraham and Sung-Yeung Ki should all be fit after recent injuries.
Betting Tips & Predictions
It’ll be interesting to see how a Premier League side in waiting get on against the top flight’s bottom club, with Wolves storming the Championship at present. It’ll also be interesting to see what kind of team Swansea put out, as there’s a good chance the South Wales club will prioritise their fight against relegation over an FA Cup run.
Wolves are 10/11 favourites to win the tie, which shows how impressive they’ve been of late. Nuno Santo’s side have won 18 of their 25 games in the Championship so far this season, including nine of their last 11. The club’s Portuguese-speaking contingent has been in fine form, with forwards Leo Bonatini, Diogo Jota and Ivan Cavaleiro plundering 29 goals between them.
Swansea are 7/2 for the win, as we wait to see whether new boss Carvalhal looks to bring in his own array of Portuguese talent in the January transfer window. After their Boxing Day drubbing at Liverpool, the Swans managed to bring some festive cheer to their supporters by beating Watford away. After a tough game against Tottenham on Tuesday, the romance of the cup could provide a welcome distraction from the threat of dropping into the second tier of English football.
The draw is priced at 5/2, but with no replays the game will go to extra-time and penalties if needed. The 1-1 draw is 6/1, while it’s 8/1 if you think there will be no goals inside 90 minutes. If you think the game will go beyond the 90, you can bet on the team you think will qualify, with Wolves available at 8/13 and Swansea at 7/5.
Bonatini and Jota are the joint favourites to score first at 9/2, while Cavaleiro is 13/2 and Helder Costa 6/1. With 12 goals and five assists in the Championship so far this term, Bonatini is 19/10 to find the back of the net anytime, and 9/4 to score in a Wolves win.
Jordan Ayew is 4/1 to hit the target, after getting himself on the scoresheet in the two games either side of the mauling at Anfield. If you think the Ghanaian forward will break the deadlock, he’s priced at 9/1, while Abraham and Bony are 13/2 and 7/1 respectively.
Predicted Score: Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 - 0 Swansea
Match Summary
1
Look out for:
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Swans fans may have to turn up and face a strange line-up full of different men, as those in charge want to be richer men in the top flight. If the players perform like a bunch of strangers then they’ll fail to find the back of the net, with a Wolves win to nil priced at 2/1.
2
We fancy:
Bonatini to score and Wolves to win at 9/4. The Brazilian forward is on loan from Saudi side Al-Hilal, but his performances in the Championship could earn him a permanent move to England. Wolves will be favourites to sign the 23 -year-old if they make it into the Premier League, and he’ll be a major threat to the Swansea defence on Saturday.
3
It’s a long shot, but:
Bony to score the only goal of the game at 40/1. If the Ivorian plays he’ll be a real danger, and as Swansea don’t score many – they found the net just 13 times in their opening 21 Premier League games – an away win is likely to be a tight one.
Written by
Oli Coates is a huge sports fan, particularly football and especially Manchester United, who follows sports betting closely and has written extensively on the market. An experienced writer, Oli has covered everything from travel to how to care for your pets!