Wolverhampton Wanderers face Cardiff City at Molineux this Saturday aiming to strengthen their position in the Championship promotion race. The hosts sit fourth in the league table with 21 points, just two points behind the automatic promotion places, while Cardiff are 16th with 14 points.
Recent form
Wolves' form has been mixed, with their last five results showing two wins, one draw and two defeats. They secured a 1-0 home win over Watford last time out, with Adam Armstrong scoring the only goal in the 35th minute. Before that, they drew 1-1 with Portsmouth, where Jordan James found the net from a Fer López assist. Fer López is the club's top scorer this season with five goals in 11 appearances. Wolves will be looking to build on this result in their next fixture against Cardiff, a key match in their promotion push.
Cardiff City arrive on the back of a three-match unbeaten run in the league, with two wins and a draw. Their underlying issues, however, are stark when they travel. They have not won an away match this season, taking just two points from six trips and conceding 11 goals. Their only away points came from draws at Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday, with their last outing a 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.
Head-to-head history
The historical record between these sides suggests a decisive outcome is likely. None of the last 12 league meetings have ended in a draw. Wolves have won three of the last five encounters, including a 2-0 victory in the most recent clash back in March 2019. At Molineux, the last six meetings have alternated between wins for each side, with Wolves winning three and losing three. The last meeting at this ground was a 2-1 victory for Cardiff in February 2018.
Wolves have been strong at home this term, losing just once in six games at Molineux while scoring 10 goals. Manager Gary O'Neil will be without the services of defender Nathan Patterson, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and striker Matheus Cunha, who is recovering from a calf strain. Cardiff's Ollie Tanner has created more chances from open play than any other Championship player this season with 25, a threat the Wolves defence will need to contain. Cardiff manager Erol Bulut has no new injury concerns following their win over Stoke City.
Kick-off on Saturday is at 15:00 GMT. A win would push Gary O'Neil's side closer to the top two as they look to capitalise on their home advantage against a struggling away side.
Background and full detail: bbc.com
