Wolves vs. Aston Villa Betting Tips: 19/1 bet available for Molineux clash
One of Sunday's 2pm untelevised Premier League matches offers us an all West Midlands affair as Wolves and Aston Villa battle it out for superiority in the region.
Wolves vs Aston Villa Odds
13 miles separates Molineux from Villa Park, so although logic would suggest it fits the criteria to make this fixture a derby, fans are aghast each time neutrals utter the words or dare label this head-to-head a rivlary. This isn't the Second City affair between Birmingham and Villa, nor is it the Black County derby contested by Wolves and their neighbours West Brom.
That being said, this game has offered a significant amount of spice over recent years, with The Wanderers getting the better of their opponents in three of the last five and AVFC failing to win a single meeting during this period.
For this latest head-to-head, the hosts are chalked up at 5/2, while their adversaries can be supported at 6/5. Those wishing to back the draw can do so at 13/5 with multiple betting sites.
Wolves vs Aston Villa Tips
As has been the case with a number of selections on-site over the past few days, BetMGM are offering us another generous price. This time it's Nicolo Zaniolo to register one or more shots on target at 23/20. Compare this to his odds elsewhere which are as short as 8/13, and we're more than happy to take on this bet.
Due to the knee ligament injury that will keep Emi Buendia out for up to eight months and other squad-related absences, Unai Emery drafted in the loan signing of Nicolo Zaniolo to help bolster his ranks and meet the demands of playing European football. And although the Italian has yet to register an attacking contribution for his new team, his presence and audaciousness have been welcomed by the Villa faithful.
Much was made of his exit from Roma following a bust up with Jose Mourinho, but that hasn't deterred him from proving a point to his former employers. Zaniolo scored five goals in 10 matches for Galatasaray last season, who decided to permanently acquire his services over the summer.
Since switching Turkey for Birmingham, the 24-year-old has let off 15 shots in his eight appearances in claret and blue, finding the target with five of those on four different occasions.
Zaniolo is a real showman in the way that fans love, and he'll be keen to impress in this competitive match at Molineux on Sunday. Given how he's achieved this line in each of his last three matches - including a spectacular overhead kick effort on Thursday versus Zrinjski - we're backing him to test Jose Sa this weekend.
Emi Martinez is one player who clearly hasn't received the memo about referees clamping down on time wasting antics this season. The Argentinian shot stopper has been cautioned in a third of his 2023/24 Premier League matches for Villa; one for a mistimed challenge in Newcastle's 5-1 win on the opening weekend and then for keeping hold of the ball for too long in Villa's away triumph at Stamford Bridge two weekends back.
That means he's received a booking in 14 different games across four seasons for AVFC, which is a pretty remarkable figure for a goalkeeper. Known for his love of the dark arts, if Villa hold a slender lead in the dying embers of the match like we expect them to, Martinez will ensure he takes as much time as possible and is sure to be cautioned for his troubles if doing so.
Although Emery hasn't overcome the Wolves puzzle since stepping into the Villa hot seat, it feels like a matter of time before this changes. Only Manchester City have picked up more points in 2023 than his Aston Villa team, signalling an exciting prospect for fans, while sending a clear signal to any club coming up against them in the top flight.
But despite perching nicely in 5th place following the 6-1 demolition of Brighton, their defence has suffered some significant knocks. The long-term absence of Tyrone Mings is an incredibly hard void to fill, and that's reflected by them conceding in seven of their 12 matches this campaign.
Both sides have scored in three of the last four meetings, and the additional confidence boost of a win over reigning champions Manchester City will have Gary O'Neil's team confident of exploiting Villa's unsuitably high-line at Molineux.
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