Wolves v Leicester: preview, team news and free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Wolves v Leicester City in the Premier League.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Wolves draw no bet
1pt 4-5 general
Back this tip with bet365

Team news

Wolves
Ruben Vinagre is out with a hamstring problem and new signing Daniel Podence is pushing to make his first start since arriving from Olympiakos.

Leicester
Wilfred Ndidi (knee) could return but Bartosz Kapustka (knee) is out long-term and Nampalys Mendy is a doubt.

Match preview

The chase for Champions League qualification is heating up and Wolves can give their chances a major boost by defeating third-placed Leicester at Molineux.

Nothing is being taken for granted in the Leicester camp but the Foxes would have to suffer an alarming slump to relinquish their grip on a top-four berth.

Leicester are ten points clear of fifth-placed Sheffield United, who have played one game more, and their 49-point total is only four fewer than the 53 points amassed by the same stage of their 2015-16 title-winning campaign.

However, they have lost three matches this year, including a surprising 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the decisive second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, and are unlikely to strike fear into the hearts of Wolves, who are undefeated in the last three meetings between the sides.

Over the last 18 months Wolves have had a lot of success against the Premier League's strongest teams.

Last term they registered victories over four of the top six and this season they are the only team to have taken six points off Manchester City.

Their counter-attacking style is probably even more effective this season thanks to the development of dynamic winger Adama Traore, who is showing more composure when getting into dangerous positions.

Traore has contributed seven assists and four goals and his improved performances are making life easier for team-mate Raul Jimenez, who tops the Wolves scoring charts with 11 league goals.

Wolves look threatening in attack and much more solid in defence now that key defender Willy Boly has fully recovered from a broken leg.

After a layoff of more than three months, Boly returned to the side for the 0-0 draw at Manchester United 13 days ago.

The Frenchman's impact was immediate but that should not have come as a huge surprise.

In his nine league starts this season Wolves have conceded seven goals at an average of 0.78 goals per game. In the other 16 matches they have shipped 25 at an average of 1.56.

Leicester will be up against a first-choice Wolves defence and their chances of breaking it down will depend heavily on Jamie Vardy, who has struggled in recent weeks.

Vardy remains the division's top scorer with 17 goals but has had problems with form and fitness in 2020 and has failed to score in his last seven appearances.

The two-week break may have come at a decent time for Vardy and key Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who missed the 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea with a recurrence of a knee injury.

Brendan Rodgers may be able to revert to his strongest team but Leicester have absorbed a few knocks to their confidence in recent weeks and look vulnerable against a Wolves side determined to stay in the top-four hunt.