Wolverhampton Wanderers VS Crystal Palace Match Prediction
2020-07-20
19:15:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers
VS
Crystal Palace
Our Prediction Tip
Wolverhampton Wanderers will win this match.
2020-07-2019:15:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers will win this match.
Both teams beat the other last season as Wolves returned to the Premier League. They won 1-0 at Selhurst Park but lost 2-0 when they last met at Molineux. This season, in September’s fixture, Leander Dendoncker’s own goal looked to be giving Palace all three points, but Diogo Jota equalised in the last minute.
When the Premier League season was paused, Palace were in excellent form with a string of 1-0 wins pushing them towards the top half of the table.
Since winning their first game back, however, it has been a frustrating few weeks with six defeats – five of which were to nil – in a row.
Five of the six defeats have come against teams in the top half of the table, but the loss to relegation-battling Aston Villa saw frustration boil over too.
And besides, Wolves are a top-half team as well with far more to play for in terms of the league table than Palace currently have.
Two wins from their final two games will guarantee a top-six finish for Wolves, and European qualification no matter how their Europa League campaign ends.
After two big losses, to two European qualification rivals, Raul Jimenez’s goals have helped them to four points from their last two games.
It should have been more in mid-week, which would have given them a healthier cushion over Spurs behind them, but this is a big chance to stay on track now.
Palace’s dismal form should make for optimism in the Wolves camp that they will be going into the final weekend with their European qualification hopes in their hands.
Wolves are favourites to win this game and they simply have to live up to that billing.
Wolves are odds-on favourites to beat Crystal Palace and can be backed at a best price of 1/2 to win with Bet365 and Betway.
Palace have failed to score in five of their last six games, and you can bet against both teams to score at a best price of 4/7 with 888 sport for this one.
Under 2.5 goals will return 8/13 with Bet365 and Betway, while Wolves to win to nil is worth backing at 11/10 with Bet365.
Raul Jimenez leads the way up front for Wolves, and the Mexican striker is a best price of 11/10 to score at any time with Bet365
Crystal Palace’s losing form and lack of goals all points to a home win that keeps Wolves on track for European football next year.
Nuno Espirito Santo has a full-strength squad to work with once again, and could restore Matt Doherty, Leander Dendoncker, Pedro Neto or Jonny Castro to the starting line-up.
Raul Jimenez – Goals in each of the last two games means he now has 17 for the season in the Premier League.
Adama Traore – Forced his way back into the starting line-up with some big performances since the season restarted.
Willy Boly – The stats speak for themselves – Wolves do so much better with the centre-back playing than without him.
After back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Sheffield United severely dented their European qualification hopes, Wolves bounced back by putting three past Everton last weekend – Raul Jimenez, Leander Dendoncker and Diogo Jota were all on target. Jimenez then gave them the lead in mid-week, but a last-minute Burnley equaliser meant two points dropped.
Christian Benteke is suspended, while Patrick van Aanholt has joined the injury list – a shoulder operation is likely to keep him out until after next season starts. Gary Cahill and James Tomkins were already sidelined at the back.
Jordan Ayew – Scored in the first game back but has not netted since, though the striker still leads Palace’s goalscoring charts.
Wilfred Zaha – Scored one of Palace’s only goals since the restart and remains their key attacking player despite a below-average season.
Mamadou Sakho – The former Liverpool centre-back needs to be at this best against Jimenez as Palace look to end their losing streak.
Defeat to Manchester United last time out was Palace’s sixth in a row – the 2-0 defeat following a loss by the same score against Aston Villa, in which Christian Benteke was sent off at the very end. They have only scored in one of those six losses – Wilfried Zaha and Benteke netting in a 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea.
Watch Live Streaming