The Premier League starts early this week with Fulham vs. Wolves under the floodlights on Friday. Craven Cottage will play host to two of the Premier League’s form teams over the past couple of weeks.
Sixth-place Fulham are in dreamland as they try and seal European competition for next season, but they face a Wolves team who have improved dramatically under Julen Lopetegui. Don’t miss our Fulham vs. Wolves betting picks and predictions for Friday, February 24.
Fulham vs Wolves best odds
Fulham vs Wolves picks and predictions
We get so used to Premier League games on a Saturday or Sunday, or occasionally a Monday, so it feels like a real treat when we get served up Fulham vs. Wolves this Friday. Craven Cottage is one of the Premier League’s most iconic stadiums, and there’ll be a great atmosphere this Friday, with fans coming straight from work probably via a pub.
The game itself looks like a fascinating matchup with two teams, both in different halves of the Premier League table, experiencing a run of good form. Fulham have been a surprise package this season, and they now sit in sixth position, having been expected to battle against relegation. You really can’t argue about the great job that Marco Silva has done, and the performances of star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. They come into this in great form, having not lost in over a month, and leapfrogging Brighton in their last game by beating them 1-0.
Then you have Wolves who sit 15th in the Premier League table and just three points off the relegation zone. But since the appointment of Julen Lopetegui, it feels like they’ve really turned a corner. They’ve won three of their past five in the Premier League, and now look like they should be able to get comfortably out from the relegation battle. A win here would move them a couple of spots higher, and get closer to the top half of the table.
The most interesting area of the game for us as bettors is the midfield battle between the two teams.
Both teams rely heavily on Portuguese midfielders to break up play and dictate the tempo in the middle of the pitch. For Fulham it’s Joao Palhinha, and for Wolves it’s Ruben Neves.
They know each other from international duty, and the battle between them could be fierce. They both have form too, with the pair picking up 16 yellow cards between them in the Premier League this season. I love the odds on either man to get booked — Palhinha at +260 and Neves at +335 — or both at +1500 in a Same-Game Parlay. We’ll be taking Neves at +335 as our best bet.
Neves is Wolves’ best player, a talent who could fit into nearly any team in the league. He does a great job in stopping opposition attacks, and setting up his own team’s chances with his fantastic range of passing.
He’s had a good season, scoring five goals in 22 Premier League games — a good return for a deep-lying midfielder. In addition to his four Man of the Match awards, he’s also picked up seven yellows.
As the road team, I feel Wolves are more likely to be playing defensively in this one, therefore more chance that he gets a card. He also hasn’t been booked in any of past six performances, by far the longest streak of his season without a card. That gives me great hope that he’ll return to type and get himself in the referee’s book on Friday.
My best bet: Ruben Neves to get booked (+335 at Unibet)
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Fulham vs Wolves side analysis
Fulham are favorites for this game, albeit at a big price, and there is potential to make money. The main concern is that Aleksandar Mitrovic is a doubt. If the big Serbian is missing, then it really damages Fulham’s chances and increases those of Wolves. I’d suggest waiting until lineups are confirmed, and then backing Wolves if Mitrovic doesn’t start for Fulham.
Both teams will be lined up a 4-2-3-1, with Fulham’s defense marshalled by Tim Ream, who has been brilliant his season. If Mitrovic doesn’t start, then we’ll likely see Bobby Corodova-Reid in that role. Behind him will be Andreas Pereira, Harry Wilson, and Willian.
As mentioned above, the midfield battle will be key, with Palhinha and Harrison Reed in the middle for Fulham against Neves and Mario Lemina. Joao Moutinho is likely to drop back into Wolves’ midfield and give them a three when not in possession. Matheus Cunha will lead the line for Wolves, and the Brazilian will be desperate to score his first goal since arriving from Atletico Madrid in January.
Fulham vs Wolves Over/Under analysis
If you look at the trends, then Over 2.5 is the obvious play in the total goals market. There have been Over 2.5 goals in 75% of Fulham’s games at Craven Cottage in the Premier League this season, while the Over has landed in 54.5% of Wolves’ away games.
That said, I’d lean towards backing the Under, especially if Mitrovic doesn’t start for Fulham. Fulham’s past five league games have seen just five goals in total, and I can see both of these sides coming into this game focusing on keeping defensively secure and ensuring that they don’t lose.
Fulham vs Wolves game info
| Location: | Craven Cottage, West London, England |
| Date: | Friday, February 24, 2023 |
| Time: | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | USA Network |
Fulham vs Wolves key injuries
Fulham: Neeskens Kebano FWR (Out), Tom Cairney CM (Out), Aleksandar Mitrovic STR (Questionable)
Wolves: Boubacar Traore CM (Out), Sasa Kalajdzic STR (Out), Hwang Hee-Chan STR (Out)
Fulham vs Wolves recent form
| Teams | Last five matches |
|---|---|
 Fulham |
W-W-D-L-L |
 Wolves |
L-W-W-L-W |
Fulham vs Wolves weather
The temperature will be in the mid-to-low 40s when the game kicks off. The heavy rain earlier in the day should have subsided.
