ENGLISH PREMIER BETTING PREVIEW - WOLVES VS WEST HAM UNITED

English Premier

2026-01-03 - Wolves vs West Ham United

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Wolves v West Ham United
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 3rd January 2025 - Kick Off 3pm

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Wolves

For just the third time in the 2025/26 season, Wolves managed to avoid a defeat in the top flight, although they have yet to taste a win. Small victories have to be appreciated and Rob Edwards overseeing his first positive result gives Wolves something- anything- to build upon in the first match of 2026.

They are still bottom of the Premier League table and there are still 15 points between Wolves and safety so the overriding feeling is that relegation remains an inevitability. The board are unlikely to splash the cash in January and so Rob Edwards has to find a way to help his team pick up results with perhaps the main priority remaining avoiding finishing with the lowest point total in Premier League history.

Wolves had lost 12 in a row in all competitions, but recent performances suggest confidence has not been completely eroded and the 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Tuesday will have given the players some belief. The side have won 6 in a row at Molineux ahead of this vital League fixture.

Andre is back from a suspension, while Santi Bueno is hoping to overcome a knock and be available for selection.

West Ham United

Nuno Espirito Santo's time as manager of Wolves may not have ended as he hoped, but the fans will appreciate how far the club have sunk since the Portuguese departed. Nostalgia is not going to help Nuno's new club West Ham United earn an important result here and so the focus for the manager will be on picking a team capable of putting a strong performance together.

The draw with Brighton on Tuesday has gotten West Ham United a little closer to Nottingham Forest in 17th place in the Premier League table, but fans and the board have to remain pretty nervous as the second half of the campaign begins. The Hammers have a 1-4-4 away record in the Premier League this season where they have scored 9 goals and conceded 15.

West Ham United may still feel it is a point gained against Brighton, but the winless run has been extended to 8 Premier League games. They were beaten 3-0 at Manchester City in the last away League game played, but West Ham United had earned 3 draws in a row on their travels prior to that result at the Etihad Stadium.

Igor Julio is available to play, while Jean-Clair Todibo is a doubt.

Head to Head

This is the first Premier League fixture between the relegation rivals this season, but Wolves did beat West Ham United 3-2 here in the League Cup back in August.

Wolves have won 4 of the last 5 home games against The Hammers in all competitions.

Prediction

You could genuinely make the case for any result in this relegation clash between Wolves and West Ham United on Saturday afternoon, although it is noted that Wolves being set as a narrow favourite is perhaps hard to understand.

This is a team that have yet to win a Premier League fixture so having them down as a favourite is hard to see.

However, it should be noted that recent Wolves performances have been a bit more encouraging even if they continue to show they lack the real quality needed at the Premier League level. Rob Edwards has gotten the team playing with a bit more confidence going forward, but the Big Chances are still not being created all that often and there is uncertainty as to what the club will do with some of the bigger names in the squad in this January transfer window.

All of that factors into making it tough to see Wolves as a favourite, but West Ham United have hardly been very convincing themselves.

Nuno Espirito Santo's team have not won any of the last 8 Premier League games, although they have managed to pick up some draws, which is more positive form than Wolves have had overall.

Prior to losing at Manchester City, West Ham United led 0-2 at Bournemouth in a 2-2 draw and were leading 0-1 at Brighton deep into injury time before giving up a controversial equaliser. In between those two away performances, West Ham United held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and there is this feeling that The Hammers still have a bit more quality in the final third compared with their hosts.

The manager does want the board to bring in attacking reinforcements in this transfer window, but West Ham United have been creating better opportunities compared with Wolves.

They are likely to offer chances for the hosts, but the visiting team will counter with some effectiveness and West Ham United look the right side to back in any 'Draw No Bet' market.

The Pick :

Wolves 1-2 West Ham United

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back West Ham United 0 Asian Handicap at 2.08 with Cloudbet