Aston Villa resume their quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League with a Midlands derby against Wolves but with neither team showing much consistency in recent weeks it may pay to side with the visitors.
Aston Villa vs Wolves Betting Tips
- Wolves or Draw Double Chance @ 6/5 with bet365
- Over 3.5 goals @ 13/10 with bet365
- Nelson Semedo to be booked @ 9/4 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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Wolves can extend strong head-to-head record
Wolves have taken at least a point from their last six meetings with Villa and lost only one of the last nine encounters with their Midlands rivals.
Given both teams' recent inconsistency, the value should lie in taking the underdogs to extend that sequence rather than putting faith in the Villans to justify their short price for a home win.
Villa's home record is still impressive with 10 wins and a draw from 14 league games, but their three losses in front of their own fans have come in the last four matches there.
Unai Emery's team lost at home for the first time against Newcastle in January and then went down 2-1 to Manchester United before a 4-0 hammering by Tottenham this month.
Villa beat Nottingham Forest at home last month, but also suffered a home FA Cup defeat to Chelsea, so the ground's reputation as something of a fortress has faded and Wolves will fancy their chances.
The teams drew 1-1 at Molineux in October, the same score as on Wanderers' last league trip to Villa Park.
Wolves have been an all-or-nothing team of late with six wins and four losses in their last 10 outings, but away successes at Chelsea and Tottenham last month have helped them climb to ninth in the table and they will be no pushovers for the home side.
Aston Villa vs Wolves Tip 1: Wolves or Draw Double Chance @ 6/5 with bet365
Lively encounter in prospect
Wolves went out of the FA Cup with a 3-2 defeat in a wild game against Championship club Coventry before the international break and it wasn't the first ding-dong battle they have been involved in after a 4-3 loss to Manchester United and a 4-2 win at Chelsea last month.
This evening kick-off could provide plenty of entertainment as four of Villa's last six games have produced at least four goals and over 3.5 goals looks a bet to consider.
At least one team scored three goals in Villa's first eight games this season and they lost 4-0 and won 4-0 in back-to-back matches against Spurs and Ajax before a more mundane 1-1 draw at West Ham in their latest outing.
Both teams have scored in four of the pair's last five meetings and this may be another entertaining clash.
Aston Villa vs Wolves Tip 2: Over 3.5 goals @ 13/10 with bet365
Semedo has potential to pick up a card
Wolves' Mario Lemina was sent off for receiving two yellow cards in the first meeting between these teams this season and even if all 22 combatants stay on the pitch this time, there should be players falling foul of the referee in a derby encounter.
Nelson Semedo was one of two other Wolves players cautioned in that match and the defender looks a strong contender to add to his total of nine yellow cards this season.
The Portugal international has been booked in three of his last six Premier League appearances and can be backed at 9/4 for another caution on Saturday.
Aston Villa vs Wolves Tip 3: Nelson Semedo to be booked @ 9/4 with bet365