West Ham United have done little to justify their status as hot favourites for the EFL Championship and desperately need a win when they host fellow relegated side Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight.
Almost every pundit was expecting the Hammers to bounce straight back up to the Premier League after holding on to most of their stars and boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
But they've taken just two points from three games and it's Wolves who are looking more like title contenders as they already sit five points ahead of West Ham.
West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers top betting tips
Despite their slow start, it's West Ham who are 19/20 favourites with home advantage tonight and Bet365 have Wolves as 27/10 outsiders.
I wouldn't be backing the Hammers at that price on their early-season form, especially after conceding five times in just three games.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are averaging three goals a game so I fancy them to score at least and combining BTTS with over 2.5 goals pays 11/10. I'm also tempted by the 6/5 on offer for Wolves to win either half.
Jarrod Bowen was expected to score freely in the Championship but the West Ham talisman's only two goals this term have come in the EFL Cup.
He's too good a player to keep firing blanks in the league and Bet365 price him at 13/8 to get off the mark.
Birmingham City vs Southampton
Southampton roared back to form at the weekend by thrashing Millwall 5-1 but now face a tough road trip to Birmingham in the EFL Championship.
Saints began the season with a four-point deduction for Spygate and have made a decent start, winning two of their three games to wipe that out.
Tonda Eckert's men will now be looking to climb up the table but they won't get it easy against a Birmingham City side who have yet to lose in the Championship.
After kicking off with successive draws, the Blues got their first win away at Wrexham last time out and are slight 6/4 favourites tonight, with Southampton at 7/4.
The draw appeals at 23/10 but I'm playing it a bit safer and going for the half-time stalemate at 6/5.
Birmingham are averaging seven corners a game in the EFL Championship so I'm tempted by the 10/11 on offer at Bet365 for over 5.5 Blues flag kicks.
Stoke City vs Norwich City
Stoke City prop up the pile in the EFL Championship after losing their first three games so Mark Robins badly needs a win when Norwich come calling tonight.
The Canaries haven't made a great start themselves, losing two out of three, but look to be picking up momentum after winning their last two in league and cup.
Philippe Clement's men thrashed relegated Burnley 4-1 at the weekend so could offer some value tonight at 5/4 for another win.
Stoke lost by the same scoreline away to Wolves in their last outing and have kept just one clean sheet in five games this term.
That suggests we should see goals tonight and combining BTTS with over 2.5 goals pays 21/20. That bet has landed in three of the last four for both Stoke and Norwich.
Super singles
- Jarrod Bowen anytime scorer 13/8 Bet365
- Over 5.5 Birmingham corners 10/11 Bet365
- Norwich City to win 5/4 Bet365
Upcoming match previews and betting tips
- Tue 19:45 West Ham Utd vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Tue 19:45 Birmingham City vs Southampton
Racing tips
Rizzel has picks for RIpon and Wolverhampton today as he seeks some winners.
As always, leave your own tips and comments below.
GambleAware
Ladbrokes insured 5fold pays 33/10
Huddersfield v Oxford – GIBH
Lincoln v Blackburn – 2+ gls
Doncaster v Notts County – 2+ gls
Birmingham v Southampton – 2+ gls
Stoke v Norwich – 2+ gls
Little interst for today ,
Dalian Yingbo 🇨🇳 (12.35pm) Over 3.5 goals
Shandong Taishan 🇨🇳 (12.35pm) Over 3.5 goals
Westham v Wolves 🏴 (7.45pm) Over 2.5 goals/3+ cards
Treble pays 11/1 with Coral 👍
Looking very unlikely to take it to the later game tonight I’d need a goal festival the second half of the Chinese games
Predictive text , goal fest i intended to write
England u21 league KO 1300
Bristol
Charlton
Huddersfield
Hull
All 4 matches over 1.5 first half goals
7.37/1
1 goal short x
Very unlucky with that one mate
Speculative effort here – Stranraer v Celtic U21s BTTS in both halves 11/2 Boylesports 👍
No joy here Celtics U21s unable to hit the back of the net in the first half
Wolves fan here.
Not posted in ages due to life pressures and all that jazz.
We’re scoring freely at the moment. But we do attack with numbers and pace. And we are still quite suspect at the back.
West Ham haven’t started well. But each of there games (same as wolves) have seen BTTS land,
Gut says wolves win & both score. But I don’t like the WDW market.
Wolves concede plenty cards. And with the pace we attack, opponents do too. Obviously I know Nuno well and expect West Ham to catch us on the counter which means we will inevitably pick up a few cards.
Lewis smith is ref and is averaging 3.3 cards per game this season. And this is a game I can see cards.
NAP – BTTS & Both teams 1+ card = evens (b365)
NB – BTTS & both teams 2+ cards = 3/1 (b365)
This isn’t looking too shabby at HT mate. Fingers crossed the ref gets his book out in the second half. GL 👍
Swansea 2 gls
Bristol rovers 2 gls
Stoke v Norwich over 2.5 gls
5.4-1
Skybet
Leyton orient to score
Wycombe btts
Cheltenham btts
Portsmouth to score
4 fold 3/1
Good luck
Lost no Portsmouth goal…..others came in early aswell.
Al-Hilal
Birmingham
Over 2.5 double 1.49/1 , 👍
Birmingham v Southampton
Cyle Larin header scored 17/2
Sheffield United v Bolton
Patrick bamford header scored 8/1
Bet 365
Cyle larin header on target 13/5
Patrick bamford header on target 13/5
Bet MGM
Hope you did the own goal in the West Ham game mate.
No macca only on the game I’m watching
Was on the Birmingham game mate 10/1 not to be get one tomorrow mate
Going to use admins tips in a treble. Over 9/1. Boylesports 🤞
Inplay prem2
Colchester v Barnsley
Colchester over 4.5tgls 2/1
Inplay
Birmingham v Southampton
Over 11.5 match corners EVENS skybet
Over 12.5 match corners 2/1 skybet
👎
Own goal lands in the west ham game at 9/1. Cracking start to the season for own goals.