Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leeds United
Leeds United travel to the Molineux this weekend as they take on the Wolverhampton Wanderers for the second time this season.
The Wolves beat the Whites in the reverse fixture over at Elland Road, so both teams will come in here searching for that psychological edge.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side raised eyebrows from the moment they made their return to the Premier League as they’ve had strong performances against their first four opponents in Liverpool, Fulham, Sheffield United, and current leaders Manchester City.
But when they faced the Wolves in early October, Nuno Espirito Santo’s group put the brakes to the Whites’ hype train and the SBOTOP-sponsored club had a rollercoaster campaign ever since.
Even with everything they had been through this term, the Wolves and the Whites aren’t far behind from each other in the standings. Leeds United are sitting at the 11th spot with 32 points, which is only two points clear ahead of the 12th-seeded hosts.
Will the Wolves achieve a double over the Whites? Or will Leeds United exact their revenge on the road this weekend?
Read on below as we present to you today’s match preview.
Talking Points
Wolverhampton Wanderers are slowly building momentum
After battling inconsistency to start the year, the Wolves have been trending in a much better direction lately.
They started February with a bang since they’re undefeated in their last four games, with wins over Arsenal and Southampton along with a draw against Leicester City.
Despite being haunted by injuries and fatigue, the Wolves continue to bring the fight as they aim to move up into the table.
Pedro Neto and Ruben Neves have been receiving plaudits since they have been providing us some top-notch Premier League 2021 highlights. The duo will continue to be relied upon on if they are going to turn their season around.
Unfortunately for the Wolves, they will be undermanned out front as Raul Jimenez and Daniel Podence remain sidelined, while centre-back Willy Boly is nursing a hamstring injury.
Leeds United need to be firm on the defensive end
Scoring goals may not be a problem for Leeds United, but conceding those from their opponents paints quite a different story.
The Whites are coming off of a defeat against Arsenal last weekend as the Gunners simply outpowered them at the Emirates Stadium.
Furthermore, Leeds United’s defensive shortcomings are highlighted since they are the worst team in terms of goals conceded with 42 – which is a far cry from their output last season.
Last year in the Championship, Leeds United have only surrendered 35 goals in 46 matches.
The prolonged absence of Kalvin Phillips, Robin Koch, and Diego Llorente has been unfortunate for the club. And since they haven’t done much to address their deficiencies during the transfer window, they have no choice but to dig deeper from within.
Marcelo Bielsa reveals Kalvin Phillips’ return is subject to his evolution from his injury
Granted that they’re playing in a stronger tournament, Leeds United’s backline can definitely improve as soon as their injured players return. However, with the tools that they have now, it is apparent that Marcelo Bielsa may need to alter his tactics for the meantime.
History
Prior to this weekend, the Wolves and the Whites have faced off 20 times.
The Wolves have the advantage in the head-to-heads with 10 wins, whereas Leeds United won in seven games along with three draws.
Moreover, the Wolves have won their last four games against Leeds United. The Whites’ last win dates back to 2016 when both teams were plying their trade in the Championship.
In their first meeting this season, the hosts won 1-0 as Raul Jimenez scored the game winner during the 70th minute.
However, his absence will continue to hurt the Wolves given that he’s still recovering from a head injury that he suffered few months ago.
Betting Tip
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Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leeds United | Leeds United Asian Handicap -0.00 @ 2.03 |
| February 20, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
The Premier League 2021 odds suggest that this will be a close and tense affair similar to their last encounter.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have the slight advantage at 2.58, while Leeds United are backed at 2.76 to win and a draw is at 3.10 in the 1X2 market.
While Leeds United are priced a bit lower to win, they have a more complete squad than the Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, that doesn’t mean that this will be a walk in the park.
The Wolves certainly pack quite a bite in them and they can cause headaches, but their lack of attacking depth might be too much to handle for Nuno Espirito Santo.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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The post Premier League: The Whites Plot Their Revenge on the Wounded Wolves appeared first on SBOTOP.