The win over Aston Villa improved the mood at Wolves' camp and beating Blackburn to progress further in the FA Cup could be an even greater confidence booster.
Until a few weeks ago, Blackburn were among the main favourites for promotion to the Premier League, but their current form has raised many questions. The team is still in the Top 6 but conceded four losses in the last five rounds of the Championship. We can't say they were heavy losses because four were by just one goal but the team cannot afford more mistakes.
It will be interesting to see how much effort John Eustace will throw in for this game, considering how much more important it is to focus on the Championship. In the previous round, they beat Middlesbrough with the minimum 0-1, definitely not showing anything special.
Wolverhampton are in a similar position in terms of form, but the team is struggling in the far tougher conditions of the Premier League. Their last four games were against teams at the top of the standings, and they lost three of them. Yet, the win over Aston Villa a week ago was enough to propel them above the relegation zone. And there's the question of whether Vitor Pereira will pay enough attention to the FA Cup game at a time when they need to win every possible point in the remaining rounds of the Premier League.
How the bookies view it: Wolves' easiest game this season?
It's interesting how much the bookies trust Wolves, considering the team is not in good form. Regardless, you can pick the home side at 17/4, the draw at 27/10, or Wolverhampton at 7/10.
Recent head to head: An ancient rivalry will be renewed
Blackburn and Wolverhampton spent quite a few seasons together in the Championship over the last 10-15 years, but haven't met since 2017. We won't find anything useful in these old results, but it should still be noted that Blackburn have just one win in their last 10 H2Hs. By contrast, Wolves have four wins.
Players to watch: Guedes brings the heat in Cup games
Matheus Cunha is the obvious pick when Wolves play but we have a different idea. Cunha might make an appearance this time after missing the previous FA Cup round but we think Goncalo Guedes is a better option. The 28-year-old scored three goals in two games in the EFL Cup before Wolves exited the competition. He rarely plays in the PL and always gives his best when given a chance in cup games.
Probable line-ups
Blackburn: Pears, Beck, Batth, Hyam, Brittain, Travis, Buckley, Hedges, Cantwell, Dolan, Gueye
Wolverhampton: Sa, Doherty, Gomes, Agbadou, Ait-Nouri, Gomes, Andre, Semedo, Guedes, Bellegarde, Cunha
Anything else catch the eye?
This is already a serious stage of the FA Cup and we expect both managers to put out strong squads. Both teams will benefit from a good performance.
Blackburn's performance in the previous round was nothing spectacular. The match was uneventful and ended with a single goal. We expect a different scenario this time. Wolverhampton have a terrible defence, so any team has a chance to score against them. Their attack is much more efficient and they usually score even in defeats. We expect a tight contest and a potential 1-2 for Wolverhampton.
This FA Cup match between Blackburn and Wolverhampton will be played on Feb 9, 2025 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Blackburn vs Wolverhampton prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
