TOM LOVE (@TomLove_18) unearths the best betting value as Manchester United travel to Wolves for their FA Cup quarter-final contest on Saturday night.
Wolves v Manchester United | Saturday 16th February 2019, 19:55 | BBC
With Wolves nicely nestled in the top-half of the Premier League they’ll be sure to have full focus on this major FA Cup tie. The FOSUN group will have had a top-half finish and a strong cup run in mind as an impressive season and Nuno Espirito Santo and his troops have rewarded them thus far.
The Chinese conglomerate have expressed their ambition for the Old Gold to enter Europe in the next few years, winning this competition gives them a chance to do so. They have one of the trickiest looking draws with a revitalised Manchester United coming to town but it’s no secret that Wolves love playing the big boys.
They look a fair price in the betting at 12/5 to get the better of the Red Devils but they’re quoted at such odds due to Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s penchant for away victories since becoming temporary United manager.
The visitors have lost only once on the road since the Norwegian took the hot-seat and that was against Arsenal after a gruelling away trip to Paris the midweek prior. They’re not without their injury concerns though; Romelu Lukaku, Ander Herrera, Phil Jones and Jesse Lingard are doubtful for the trip to Molineux and that’s in addition to the absence of Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian, Alexis Sanchez, Juan Mata and Antonio Valencia.
With so many players out and a hefty list of fixtures in recent times, I’m happy to swerve United at the prices. Instead, we can back Wolves with a +0.25 start on the Asian Handicap at the bizarre looking price of 24/25 with Bet365, a smidgen under even-money.
This selection would see us profit if the hosts avoid defeat, with a half-stakes win if it ends a draw and a full stakes pay-out should Wolves win in 90 minutes.
I’m also happy to have a punt on SkyBet’s Double Up boost which is for Raul Jimenez and Paul Pogba to have 2+ shots on-target each at 10/1.
Pogba is averaging 1.70 shots on-target in the league, a strong figure for a midfielder. Jimenez is slightly less than that but with Wolves ranking in the top four for Expected Goals at home he should get chances here. It’s a price play more than anything with the same bet around 7/1 elsewhere.
Best Bets
Wolves v Manchester United – Wolves +0.25 Asian Handicap (24/25 Bet365)
Wolves v Manchester United – Raul Jimenez and Paul Pogba to have 2+ shots on-target each (10/1 SkyBet)
