Wolverhampton Wanderers v Charlton Athletic prediction

Preview

## Wolverhampton Wanderers' recent football

Wolverhampton Wanderers are third in the Championship on 28 points and unbeaten in their last five league games. They host a Charlton Athletic side sitting 18th on 17 points. Even so, the results have lagged behind the football. Wolverhampton Wanderers had 24 shots against Watford and won only 1-0. They were then held 1-1 at home by Portsmouth despite going in as clear favourites. At Wrexham they took 21 shots to six and still came away with a draw.

The overall picture remains strong, though. They have created 1.6 xG a match over their last five and allowed only 0.7. The 2-1 win at Bristol City came from behind, with a late winner after 17 shots and four big chances. The one caveat is the 3-0 win over Cardiff City. Cardiff City had more of the ball and put nine shots on target, so José Sá's nine saves did a lot of the work that day.

Charlton Athletic's recent form

Charlton Athletic's win over Sheffield United was a genuine surprise, but it says more about their goalkeeper than their attack. They won as underdogs with only two shots on target, while Arthur Okonkwo made six saves. Before that they lost at home to Bolton Wanderers as slight favourites. They had 14 shots in that game but again only two on target.

Their away games have been harder still. They lost 3-0 at Middlesbrough without a shot on target, and 2-0 at Watford, where they faced 22 shots. Charlton Athletic have conceded in each of their last five Championship matches, 10 goals in all. They have also failed to score in two of their last three, which is a worrying trend before a trip to Molineux.

The players to watch

Fernando López González is the obvious threat for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with six goals and three assists this season. Adam Armstrong has four goals and Raúl Jiménez has three. For Charlton Athletic, Tyreece Campbell has four goals. His side's shortage of shots on target suggests he may get few clear sights, though. Okonkwo, who has made 42 saves this season, could be the busiest player on the pitch.

What we expect

A home win is the likelier direction, because Wolverhampton Wanderers create far more than they allow and Charlton Athletic rarely test goalkeepers. This does not look like a high-scoring game, though. None of Wolverhampton Wanderers' last five Championship games produced more than three goals, and Charlton Athletic have scored only three times in their last five. A home win by one or two goals fits best.

The main risk is Wolverhampton Wanderers turning pressure into too few goals, which has already cost them points against Portsmouth and Wrexham. Our full call is in the Pundit Pick section below.