Alan Hansen’s Premier League Picks: Wolves v Birmingham
Wolves host local rivals Birmingham at Molineux this weekend in need of three points after a run of 7 league games without a victory which has seen them slump to 2nd from bottom of the Premier League. The Blues however are in their richest vein of form of the season after a 4-match unbeaten run. Birmingham also possess an excellent recent record against this weekend’s opponents.
The stats don’t look good for Wolves ahead of this match. They’ve won just once at home this season and not for the last three games (2 defeats). They’ve also conceded 10 goals in the last three league games home and away although in the last two matches they’ve faced Premier League big boys Arsenal and Chelsea.
Another worrying sign for Mick McCarthy is his young side’s inability to keep a clean-sheet at Molineux this season. That’s a particular problem as goals have not come freely for Wolves in front of their own fans with just five scored in six matches, the lowest number in the top flight. There shouldn’t be too many goals scored this weekend either as matches involving Birmingham have seen just 25 league goals, the lowest total in the Premier League.
Alex McLeish has built a Birmingham team based on a strong defence with the team conceding just 14 goals. This is the 4th lowest total in the top flight with only Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa having conceded less. The Blues are extremely well organised and committed which is illustrated by the fact they’ve made more defensive blocks than any other Premier League side with summer signing Roger Johnson leading the way in individual blocks.
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Only Chelsea have kept more clean-sheets than the Blues five. Arsenal are the only side to score more than two goals against them this season and unlike fellow newly-promoted sides Wolves and Burnley, Birmingham have not been on the receiving end of a big scoreline this season.
Birmingham have also dominated the recent head-to-head meetings and are unbeaten in their last 7 league clashes with Wolves (2 wins). However, five of the last seven meetings have been drawn and with this being a local derby, I’m expecting more of the same. Therefore, I’m backing the draw on Premier 10 with a £45,000 rollover up for grabs this weekend.
Tags: Alan Hansen, Birmingham, Premier 10, Premier League, Wolves
