Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
It might be that sleepy time between Christmas and New Year but there’s nothing laidback about this hotly anticipated Premier League showdown. In one corner we have the league leaders Liverpool, who look very likely to dethrone Manchester City as champions. And in the other, the team who just beat the struggling defending champions in a thrilling 3-2 clash.
It’s the most consistently brilliant team in English football right now against a still recently promoted side who have made their name as giant killers. Not only do Wolves have that aforementioned 3-2 victory under their belt but they’ve also toppled the likes of West Ham, Norwich and Aston Villa in recent weeks.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have continued to affirm their dominance, not least in a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Leicester – the team currently ranked second in the Premier League standings. This has all the makings of a classic.
Liverpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers Prediction: Liverpool 1-0 Wolves
A recent victory over Manchester City would potentially put Wolves as favourites in the last couple years. Indeed, it would do so against almost any team in the league this year. Unfortunately for them, they’re up against Liverpool who are in the type of form few sides ever achieve. They aren’t infallible – just look at their disastrous loss against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup for proof of that – but they’ve been able to arrive at their Premier League games at a level few are able to compete with. As great as Wolves are, we think they’ll just fall short against that kind of momentum, meaning our scoreline prediction is 1-0 to Liverpool.
Our recommended tip: Liverpool win to nil
If for some reason we couldn’t go with our predicted scoreline, we think the next most likely outcome would be for Liverpool to lead with an even greater margin without conceding a goal. The reason for this is simple: Liverpool have won their last four out of five Premier League matches with a clean sheet. And their dismantling of Leicester shows they are as well-rounded as ever. So, if you don’t want to tie yourself down to a specific scoreline, we think a bet on Liverpool winning to nil is a great way of improving your chances of netting a return. You’ll find 23/20 odds at Unibet.
Previous matches
If you’re unaware and had to take a guess at what the recent head-to-head outings between these two would look like, you’re probably not far off the reality. Liverpool have won the majority of their recent matches but not without the plucky Wolves managing to pepper in a victory of their own over the years. In fact, they last bested Liverpool back in January this year, and beat them in the same month two years earlier, both at the FA Cup. Still, the stats don’t lie and a 2-0 win in May for Liverpool, as well as an overall historical advantage, meaning they remain dominant in this fixture.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: Trent Alexander-Arnold & Matt Doherty
Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Both our recommended tip and scoreline prediction are based around how well-rounded the Liverpool team is and few performances provide better evidence of that fact than their recent 4-0 trouncing of Leicester. No player was a better example in that match than the phenomenal Trent Alexander-Arnold. He not only provided two assists and scored a goal of his own but was also a vital part of that clean sheet in his role as one of the back four.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Matt Doherty
Sometimes the obvious choice is the right one. Wolves staged an awesome comeback against Manchester City, coming from behind to win the game in the dying minutes. And the man behind that game’s winning goal was none other than Matt Doherty. He’s another defender whose proven his worth as a goal-scoring wildcard and the exact kind of secret weapon Wolves may need to topple Liverpool.
