Football betting tips: Premier League
2pts Sheffield United to commit 13+ fouls at 11/8 (Sky Bet)
Kick-off time: 13:30 GMT, Sunday
TV channel: Sky Sports Premier League
Home 4/9 | Draw 18/5 | Away 11/2
Wolves 2-1 win over Tottenham last weekend completed the double over the North Londoners and put the Wanderers within a point of the top half.
Although Sunday’s hosts have gone toe-to-toe with the division's best sides, they have struggled against the basement boys.
A 1-0 win over Burnley was their only win in three meetings with the current bottom three, losing at Bramall Lane and sharing the spoils at Kenilworth Road in games they went off odds on to win.
This clash may be trickier then the hosts odds on price suggests.
Full disclosure, I am a Sheffield United fan.
Remaining rational this campaign has been tough especially when Brighton became the fifth Premier League team to put at least five past the Blades this season last Sunday. As if that was not bad enough, the Blades have played 25 games.
If I may clutch at straws though, Sheff Utd have rallied well after embarrassment with two of their three league wins coming in the games that followed 5-0 thumping's, one of which the reverse against Wolves.
One thing is for sure on Sunday, fellow Sheffield United fan Chris Wilder will send his side out swinging at the Molineux so expect a dogged start from the visitors.
What are the best bets?
SHEFFIELD UNITED are odds on in places to complete 21 tackles, which is probably fair as they have averaged 20 a game this term.
The Blades have the second poorest disciplinary record (72Y 4R) and commit 11.8 fouls per game.
In the five Premier League away games since Wilder’s return, Sheff Utd have committed 66 fouls, which is over 13 a game.
Sky Bet the visitors at 11/8 TO COMMIT 13+ FOULS in Black Country on Sunday which certainly appeals.
Wilder’s side have covered this line in three of the five games on the road, falling one short at Kenilworth Road and only mustering six at the Etihad where they only had 19% of possession.
Wolves are drawing just under 11 fouls a game but in their home clashes with sides in the bottom five have racked up 15 vs Burnley, 14 vs Everton and 11 vs Forest. So we should get a run for our money.
BuildABet @ 20/1
- Jayden Boyle 3+ fouls
- Tom Davis 3+ fouls
- Hwang-Hee Chan 3+ shots
Jayden Bogle is the Blades joint most carded player with (7) and has committed 3+ fouls on three occasions this season.
Despite not starting a game, Tom Davies has picked up two cards and committed four fouls. He has only been on the pitch for a combined total of 117 minutes.
Sheff Utd conceded the most shots per game (17.4), Hwang Hee-Chan is only of Wolves sharpest shooters averaging 1.7 a game.
Team news
Matheus Cunha is expected to be Wolves only absentee as the Brazilian nurses a hamstring issue. Hwang Hee-Chan survived a late fitness scare to start last weekend and should continue upfront in Cunha’s absence.
With no fresh injury concerns, O’Neil should name the same XI as the one that beat Tottenham. So, expect a 3-4-2-1 with Joao Gomes partnering Mario Lemina in midfield.
As for Sheffield United, Mason Holgate serves the first match of his three game suspension. Auston Trusty should slot into defence in his absence with Chris Basham and John Egan sidelined with injuries.
Wilder has revealed very little with regards to the fitness of Oli McBurnie, Ben Brereton Diaz and Cameron Archer so how the visitors line up in attack is anyone's guess.
Predicted line-ups
Wolves: Sa; Kilman, Toti, Dawson; Semedo, Lemina, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Neto, Sarabia, Hwang.
Sheffield United: Grbic; Trusty, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson; Bogle, Souza, Hamer, Davies, Larouci; McAtee, Archer.
Match facts
- Wolves are unbeaten in their last eight home league games against Sheffield United (W4 D4), since a 3-1 loss in the second tier in October 2002.
- Following their 2-1 win at Bramall Lane in November, Sheffield United are looking to complete their first league double over Wolves since 1989-90, when they were promoted from the second tier.
- Wolves have won five of their last eight Premier League games (D1 L2), although their two losses in this run have come in their last two matches at Molineux (v Manchester United & Brentford). Wolves last lost three consecutive home top-flight matches in October/December 2022 (4).
- Having beaten fellow newly promoted side Luton 3-1 at Kenilworth Road, Sheffield United will be looking to win back-to-back away Premier League matches for just a fifth time, with the previous instance coming in December 2019.
- Since the start of last season, Wolves have won just two of their nine Premier League games against newly promoted opposition (D5 L2), although they did beat Burnley 1-0 in their most recent such game. They’ve also won just one of their four top-flight matches against sides starting the day bottom during this period (D1 L2), losing their last such game, against Sheffield United back in November.
- Sheffield United have lost five Premier League games by a margin of 5+ goals this season, the joint most such defeats of any side in a single Premier League campaign (also Derby County in 2007-08). In fact, only Darwen (7 in 1891-92) and Ipswich Town (6 in 1963-64) have lost more top-flight matches in a single season by 5+ goals.
- Across the eight matches in which they’ve led, Sheffield United have spent a total of just 183 minutes in the lead this season, fewer than any other Premier League side, with 33% of those minutes in the lead coming against Luton in their most recent away game (60).
- Despite making just 16 appearances this season, Pedro Neto has provided nine assists with no Wolves player registering more in a single Premier League campaign (Adam Traoré also 9 in 37 apps in 2019-20). Seven of his nine assists this term have either been for an equalising goal (3) or a goal to put Wolves into the lead (4).
- Wolves forward Hwang Hee-Chang has scored 10 Premier League goals from just 13 shots on target this season, exceeding his xG by +3.6 (10 goals from an xG of 6.4). Only two players have scored more goals for Wolves in a single Premier League campaign: Steven Fletcher in 2011-12 (12) and Raúl Jiménez in 2018-19 (13) and 2019-20 (17).
- Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has kept just a single clean sheet in the Premier League this season, conceding the most goals (63) of any keeper in their first 25 appearances in the competition. He has, however, conceded fewer goals (59 – excluding own goals) than his xGoT conceded figure would suggest (59.3).
Odds correct at 1400 GMT (22/02/23)
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.