Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Tottenham Hotspur

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 6/4

Bookmaker: 888sport

After a stunning loss that ended their unbeaten run in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur are eager to finish on a positive note before the international break, being set to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in Saturday’s early kickoff.

In their recent match, Ange Postecoglou’s team faced a heavy defeat, losing 4-1 to London rivals Chelsea and ending the match with only nine players on the field. Meanwhile, Wolves experienced frustration with another controversial VAR decision in a 2-1 loss to Sheffield United.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In another weekend marked by controversial decisions for the PGMOL, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil found his team on the wrong end of a contentious call at Bramall Lane. There, newly promoted Sheffield United secured their first top-flight victory of the season at the 11th attempt.

Despite an 89th-minute equalizer from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde appearing to salvage a point for Wolves after Cameron Archer’s earlier goal, the match took a dramatic turn with Oliver Norwood converting a penalty deep into injury time. The penalty was awarded after Fabio Silva was deemed to have fouled George Baldock, a decision that left O’Neil openly expressing his frustration with the officials. O’Neil criticized the state of the division, particularly with the involvement of VAR, and suggested that Baldock may have exaggerated the foul leading to Sheffield United’s late penalty.

The defeat at the hands of Paul Heckingbottom’s team halted Wolves’ four-game unbeaten run. During that stretch, they had earned points against Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United. Despite the setback, Wolves currently sit in 14th place in the standings, holding a six-point cushion above the relegation zone.

Wolves have been productive in front of goal this season, with only West Ham United (18) scoring more goals than Wolves (14) in the bottom half of the table. Expectations for goal-scoring action remain high at Molineux, as Wolves have both scored and conceded in each of their last nine fixtures across all competitions. Additionally, they haven’t failed to find the net at home since February.

Team News

Despite leaving Bramall Lane with hurt egos, Wolves did not suffer any new injuries during the match. However, as they approach gameweek 12, three players are set to miss out due to various ailments.

Pedro Neto, who has been in revitalized form, will remain unavailable until after the international break. Additionally, Joe Hodge, dealing with a shoulder issue, and Hugo Bueno, nursing a hamstring injury, will also be sidelined. There is hope for Bueno’s return by the end of the month.

Bellegarde, despite his late and ultimately inconsequential contribution off the bench against Sheffield United, might be in line for a starting role, potentially edging out Tommy Doyle. Another option for O’Neil, could be introducing Boubacar Traore for a more defensive presence in the lineup.

Tottenham Hotspur

For just over 48 hours, Spurs held the sole remaining unbeaten record in the 2023-24 Premier League season after witnessing Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle United, marred by another round of VAR controversy. However, the optimism quickly faded as Mauricio Pochettino returned to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium touchline, taking advantage of an unexpected implosion from his former club. The Lilywhites succumbed to a Cole Palmer penalty and a Nicolas Jackson hat-trick, following Dejan Kulusevski’s deflected opener.

The night turned disastrous for the nine-man North Londoners, with Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero both receiving red cards after narrowly avoiding potential expulsion in the first half. The decision to persist with a high defensive line backfired horribly for Spurs.

Despite expressing his disdain for VAR, Postecoglou refrained (albeit with obvious difficulty) from criticizing the officials, in contrast to Mikel Arteta’s fiery post-match rant. It should also be said that Postecoglou, unlike Arteta, had practically nothing to complain about – all the major decisions that went against his team were arguably just.

While Spurs missed the opportunity to reclaim the top spot from Manchester City, extending their unbeaten away run to eight games would serve as a consolation.

However, facing Wolves presents a challenge, as Tottenham suffered defeats in two of their last three Premier League encounters with them. The most recent loss occurred at Molineux in March, with Adama Traore securing a 1-0 victory for Wolves.

Team News

Destiny Udogie is set to serve a one-game suspension due to his red card against Chelsea, while Cristian Romero is poised to begin a three-match ban, causing him to miss fixtures against Aston Villa and Manchester City in the coming weeks.

The injury concerns for Spus have increased with Micky van de Ven sustaining what seems to be a severe hamstring problem during Monday’s match. James Maddison was also forced off due to an ankle injury, but the chief playmaker could yet recover in time for Saturday’s game.

However, several other players are injured, including Manor Solomon (knee), Ivan Perisic (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), and Alfie Whiteman (ankle). If Ben Davies fails to overcome his ankle issue, manager Ange Postecoglou may have to consider fielding 18-year-old Ashley Phillips in the starting XI.

Adding to the injury list, Richarlison has undergone groin surgery, sidelining the Brazilian attacker for a couple of weeks.

Conclusion

The strategic choices made by Postecoglou, particularly the high defensive line, received mixed reviews after the match against Chelsea. While some praised the bold approach, others criticized it, especially as Jackson capitalized with three goals in the final 20 minutes. Regardless of the personnel available, it appears that the Australian intends to persist with such tactics.

Even with just nine men on the field against Chelsea, Tottenham managed to create opportunities. Considering Wolves’ recent pattern of both scoring and conceding goals, the Molineux crowd should see an entertaining match on Saturday.

Verdict: Total goals over 3.5

Best odds: 6/4

Bookmaker: 888sport