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Wolves logo
Premier League | Gameweek 30
Mar 18, 2022 at 8pm UK
Molineux
Leeds logo

Wolves
2 - 3
Leeds

Castro (26'), Trincao (45+11')
Boly (6'), Jimenez (43')
Jimenez (53')
FT(HT: 2-0)
Harrison (63'), Rodrigo (66'), Ayling (90+1')
Struijk (45+10'), Rodrigo (68'), Cresswell (74'), Kenneh (90+3'), Forshaw (90+4')

Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Leeds United - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Friday's Premier League clash between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Leeds United will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time this season when they head to Molineux on Friday to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Whites will enter the match off the back of a huge 2-1 victory over Norwich City, while Wolves beat Everton 1-0 last time out to make it successive wins in England's top flight.


Match preview

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Conor Coady celebrates scoring their first goal Joao Moutinho, Max Kilman and Romain Saiss on March 13, 2022© Reuters

Wolves lost three straight matches to Arsenal, West Ham United and Crystal Palace between February 24 and March 5, which seriously dented their hopes of a top-four finish, but they have responded impressively with back-to-back victories over Watford and Everton, scoring five times and conceding zero.

Last time out, Bruno Lage's side were 1-0 winners over a struggling Everton at Goodison Park, with Conor Coady netting the only goal of the contest early in the second period, and the result moved Wolves back into seventh spot in the table above Tottenham Hotspur.

As it stands, Lage's team are five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, but the Gunners have three games spare, and an extraordinary turn of events would have to occur for Wolves to finish fourth this term, so a top-five or top-six finish is a more realistic aim in the final months of the campaign.

The former Championship winners, who finished 13th in the Premier League last season, have struggled for consistency at Molineux this term, winning six, drawing two and losing six of their 14 league matches in front of their own supporters.

Wolves are unbeaten in their last six league games with Leeds, though, including a 1-0 victory in the corresponding match during the 2020-21 Premier League campaign.

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch on March 13, 2022© Reuters

The home side will enter this match full of confidence, but the same could be said for Leeds following their incredibly important 2-1 home success over Norwich on Sunday.

Kenny McLean appeared to have earned a point for Norwich when he cancelled out a first-half Rodrigo effort in the 14th minute of the contest, but Joe Gelhardt netted in the 94th minute to hand Leeds all three points, sparking jubilant scenes inside an emotional Elland Road.

The victory was the team's first in the Premier League since the middle of January, and new head coach Jesse Marsch will be tasked with making it back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season.

A total of 26 points from 29 matches has left the Whites in 16th position in the table, just four points clear of the relegation zone, so they are very much in a battle to remain in the top flight, and it remains to be seen whether the decision to move on from Marcelo Bielsa was the right one.

Leeds, who will start April with back-to-back games against Southampton and Watford, have struggled on their travels in the league this term, picking up just 10 points from 14 matches, which is the fourth-worst record in the division behind Everton, Norwich and Burnley.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:
  • W
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • W

Leeds United Premier League form:
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W



Team News

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips on December 5, 2021© Reuters

Wolves will again be without the services of Nelson Semedo and Ki-Jana Hoever for Friday's contest, while Lage will need to make late checks on Hwang Hee-chan and Pedro Neto.

The home side are expected to switch back to a 3-4-3 formation for this game, with Daniel Podence and Neto potentially coming into the attack alongside Raul Jimenez.

There could also be a change on the left, with Rayan Ait Nouri potentially being introduced for Fernando Marcal, but Joao Moutinho should keep his spot alongside Ruben Neves in midfield despite pressure from Leander Dendoncker, who started at Goodison Park.

As for Leeds, Leo Hjelde, Tyler Roberts and Junior Firpo are definitely out through injury, while Rodrigo is a doubt due to a thigh problem, but Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper are both back in training ahead of the match.

Rodrigo's potential absence could see Mateusz Klich pushed forward into a number 10 position, with Robin Koch returning in central midfield alongside Adam Forshaw.

Gelhardt has put himself in contention for a starting role after his late goal against Norwich, while Jack Harrison is also an option to come into the side, but Patrick Bamford should again lead the line, while Daniel James and Raphinha are likely to retain their spots in the wide areas.

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Kilman, Coady, Saiss; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri; Podence, Jimenez, Neto

Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Dallas; Koch, Forshaw; James, Klich, Raphinha; Bamford


SM words green background

We say: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Leeds United

Leeds will be desperate to build on the win over Norwich, but we are finding it really difficult to back the Whites to pick up a positive result at Molineux. Wolves have been back to their best in their last two matches and should have enough to secure another victory in front of their own supporters here.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data



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Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Wolverhampton Wanderers win with a probability of 54.98%. A draw had a probability of 24.3% and a win for Leeds United had a probability of 20.7%.

The most likely scoreline for a Wolverhampton Wanderers win was 1-0 with a probability of 12.53%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-0 (10.45%) and 2-1 (9.62%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (11.53%), while for a Leeds United win it was 0-1 (6.92%). The actual scoreline of 2-3 was predicted with a 1.4% likelihood.


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Game History

How you voted: Wolves vs Leeds

Wolverhampton Wanderers
73.1%
Draw
10.9%
Leeds United
16.0%
119
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Patrick Bamford pictured for Leeds United on August 21, 2021
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