Cherries and Wolves Need FA Cup Boost After Recent League Losses

Bournemouth vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Bournemouth and Wolves will meet for the third and final time this season when the former hosts the latter this Saturday at the Vitality Stadium for the fifth round of the FA Cup. These two teams have split their two league meetings this year.

The Cherries are on a two-game slide following back-to-back Premier League defeats against Wolves (1-0) and Brighton (2-1), denting their European football aspirations. However, Andoni Iraola’s men remain determined ahead of this cup tie.

Following their victory over Bournemouth, the Wolves lost 2-1 to Fulham last night, so Vitor Pereira’s side is still near the drop zone as the 17th seed, though they’ve built a much-needed five-point cushion.

Will lightning strike twice for Wolves against Bournemouth? Either way, SBOTOP football fans should anticipate another thrilling encounter between these two sides. Continue reading below for the match preview.

 

Talking Points

Bournemouth get massive frontline boost

Bournemouth have been getting by without a bona fide striker in the past few weeks. However, that’s no longer the case, as Evanilson has been on the matchday squad in the past two matches. The Brazilian was an unused substitute against Wolves before he came off the bench against Brighton.

Evanilson (foot) hasn’t featured since coming off injured in Bournemouth’s 1-0 win against Everton last January. Because he returned faster than expected, head coach Andoni Iraola will remain cautious about his striker’s rehab progress. The 25-year-old is the Cherries’ third-leading scorer with five league goals this term. Meanwhile, fellow striker Enes Unal (knee) remains out indefinitely.

The Cherries will be without one of their key defenders this Saturday. Illia Zabarnyi must serve his suspension after receiving a red card against Wolves for his nasty challenge on Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Ukrainian centre-back missed the match against Brighton and was replaced by James Hill. The 23-year-old will join Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, and Lewis Cook in the back four.

 

Wolves rely on Cunha to a fault

Matheus Cunha was the difference maker in the Wolves’ recent victory over Bournemouth since he scored his 13th Premier League goal. He is five goals away from surpassing Raul Jimenez’s single-season record of 17 Premier League goals in 2019-20.

The Brazilian forward didn’t score against Fulham, so he should be aggressive against Bournemouth. He will need help from Jorgen Strand Larsen, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Joao Gomes, who have 12 league goals and eight assists combined.

The Wolves need to work on their defending, given how they conceded goals against the Cottagers. Ryan Sessegnon, who started for the first time this season, scored within the first minute of the match, and Rodrigo Muniz added one right after halftime.

The team missed Hwang Hee-Chan, Goncalo Guedes, Emmanuel Agbadou, and Rodrigo Gomes against Fulham. According to head coach Vitor Pereira, he doesn’t expect them to return against Bournemouth, so he’ll essentially have the same squad this Saturday.

 

History

Bournemouth and Wolves will square off for the third time this season. The Cherries won 4-2 at Molineux last November, as Justin Kluivert scored a hat-trick and Milos Kerkez added one for Bournemouth, while Jorgen Strand Larsen recorded a brace for Wolves. Vitor Pereira’s side won 1-0 in the reverse fixture at the Vitality Stadium, as Matheus Cunha scored the marginal goal during the 36^th minute.

The Wolves are undefeated in their five Premier League away matches against Bournemouth (W3, D2) – their most games against an opponent on the road without a loss. This might give them confidence ahead of this weekend. Last season, Wolves reached the quarter-finals but lost to Coventry City (3-2) at Molineux.

The Cherries have never won the FA Cup. Meanwhile, the Wolves are four-time winners in this tournament, last winning in 1960.

 

Betting Tip

The FA Cup 2025 odds are in favour of the hosts advancing to the next round. Bournemouth are at 1.78 odds to win, whereas the Wolves are 3.85 underdogs, and a draw after 90 minutes is at 3.58 in the 1X2 market. Expect these two teams to go all out for this contest.

We’re inclined to go for a relatively high-scoring affair since both teams can create FA Cup 2025 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for options like Over 2.75 at 1.80 and Total Goal 2-3 at 2.06. If you fancy the Wolves’ chances of securing their second straight win over Bournemouth, check out the Correct Score of 1-0 – the result of their most recent meeting – given its solid 8.40 offer.

   

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