Brentford vs Wolves prediction: ENGLAND: FA Cup betting tips on match 2024-01-04 19:15.
Brentford will probably be relieved to be taking a break from their league duties this weekend, as they turn their attention to the FA Cup looking to end a five-game losing streak. They have at least managed to score a single goal in all but one of those encounters, meaning a cup run isn’t completely out of the question should they get their defensive line in order.
The Bees will welcome a fellow Premier League side in Wolverhampton Wanderers for this third round clash, a bad omen for the home side, since Brentford have failed to progress in 15 of their last 16 FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition. Facing Wolves will have the Gtech Community Stadium faithful extra nervous in that regard, having seen their side go down 4-1 against the same opposition in their last home outing.
That win extended Wolves' recent dominance over their hosts, against whom they’ve now lost just once in the last nine H2Hs (W6, D2), although this is the first time they’ll meet in the FA Cup. Either side of that recent triumph sits impressive 2-1 and 3-0 wins over Chelsea and Everton respectively, hinting that after signing off for 2023 on a high, Wolves are just starting to hit their stride.
They’ll be looking to leverage their momentum in their 2024 opener and get past the third round – the stage at which they were eliminated last season. The four-time winners of football’s oldest cup competition, the last of which was in 1959/60, usually don’t see such negative history repeat itself, having last suffered back-to-back third round eliminations whilst being a top-flight side back in the 1973/74 and 1974/75 seasons.
Players to watch: Both number 11’s got on the scoresheet within 30 minutes the last time these sides met, with Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa now scoring all four of his goals this season before half-time, while Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan doubled up with two first-half goals, and is now looking to score in three successive matches against Brentford.
Hot stat: Eight of Brentford’s last 11 home fixtures saw both teams score.