WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS have been the Premier League surprise package this season and fans are now starting to dream of FA Cup glory as well as they gear up for a quarter-final with Championship side Coventry City.
Gary O'Neil looked to set for a battle against the drop when he took over at Molineux in the summer, with predecessor Julen Lopetegui quitting when he learned the board would be downsizing instead of boosting his squad.
Losing star midfield duo Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes added to the Wolves woes but O'Neil set about his task with relish and within a few months any fears of a relegation fight were pretty much banished.
Last week's 2-1 win over Fulham, which brought up more bets for Slips Tips, moved Wolverhampton Wanderers 20 points clear of the drop zone and a European push could even be possible with O'Neil's side sitting in ninth place.
The Molineux men have also been flying in the FA Cup, seeing off Brentford, West Brom and Brighton, and will fancy their chances of seeing off Coventry City in a Midlands derby.
The Sky Blues made it to Wembley last season against the odds in the Championship play-offs and only missed out on a place in the Premier League when they lost a shoot-out against Luton Town.
That raised expectations ahead of this campaign and Mark Robins' side are well placed for another crack at the play-offs, with last week's 2-1 win at Watford leaving them in eighth place and just a point off the pace.
Coventry City head into this cup tie in good form, with just two defeats in nine games, but face a step up in class for this quarter-final, having seen off Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday and minnows Maidstone in previous rounds.
How the bookies view it
Wolverhampton Wanderers are heavy favourites to reach the semi-finals at 3/10 with Bet365 and the price only increases to 8/13 for a win inside 90 minutes. Coventry City are 12/5 with Bet365 to go through and 9/2 to get the job done in normal time. The draw at 90 minutes pays 3/1 with Betfred.
Recent head to head
It says everything about the competitiveness of the English leagues that the last meeting of these sides came in the third tier a decade ago. Both those meetings in League One ended in 1-1 draws and the last 10 games have produced three wins apiece and four stalemates.
Players to watch
Wolves suffered a huge blow last weekend when star man Pedro Neto was forced off with a hamstring injury. With strikers Hee-Chan Hwang and Matheus Cunha also out crocked it has left O'Neil light in attack. Playmaker Pablo Sarabia is always capable of some magic though and he's 9/4 with Paddy Power for a goal while McBookie price him at 21/10 for an assist.
Haji Wright was Coventry City's matchwinner last weekend as his double sealed the win over Watford. That took the American's tally for the season to 14 and he's 7/2 with William Hill for anytime scorer which looks a bit overpriced.
Anything else catch the eye?
With Wolverhampton Wanderers missing so many players in attack I would be surprised if they blew their Championship opponents away. That makes the half-time draw appealing at 7/5 with Unibet while under 2.5 goals also appeals at 21/20 with the same firm.
It could be a busy day for the referee with a semi-final place at stake and over 4.5 cards pays 21/20 at Unibet. There's better value backing certain players to go in the book and Coventry stopper Bobby Thomas is 4/1 with Bet365 for an eighth card this season.
This FA Cup match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City will be played on Mar 16, 2024 and kick off at 12:15. Check below for our tipsters best Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Coventry City prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
