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Fixture: Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur
Competition: Premier League
Kick-off: 25th April, 15:00 UK time
Tottenham Hotspur face a crucial clash at Wolves this afternoon in what is very much approaching the definition of a ‘must-win game’ in their battle for survival in the Premier League.
Wolves’ fate has now been sealed and next season Rob Edwards’ side will play in the Championship. The drop had been a long time coming and Edwards has already made clear the need to start the summer transfer window on the front foot.
The jury is out on how Wolves’ players will now approach these final games as they will surely want to avoid serious injury when there is nothing to play for, but will also be keen to put themselves in the shop window if a move is in the offing.
Clubs are definitely expected to come calling for players such as Andre, Joao Gomes and Santiago Bueno and better displays in the final few matches will make sure that when the next contract offer comes, it is a lucrative one.
Tottenham’s situation has become even worse without playing, with Nottingham Forest crushing Sunderland 5-0 and now the scrap to avoid finishing 18th looks to be between Spurs and West Ham.
One former England star stressed recently that losing Tottenham would be bad for the Premier League as a whole, but that fact, even if true, guarantees no points.
Having not won a league game in 2026, the Wolves game is viewed as all but a must win for Tottenham under Roberto De Zerbi and anything less than three points would be seen as disastrous.
Just one win might be enough to help them spring a winning run and get out of trouble and Wolves could be the start of that.
What will keep the former Brighton boss worried is Tottenham’s defensive frailty. While Spurs look decent going forward, they have been prone to regular lapses at the back which have seen good positions taken away.
Tottenham have lost their last three visits to Molineux, but the stakes are now higher than in any of those previous encounters.
Predicted Lineups
Wolves Tottenham Hotspur Sa Kinsky S Bueno Porro T Gomes Danso Krejci Van de Ven Tchatchoua Spence Andre Gray J Gomes Gallagher H Bueno Kolo Muani Bellegarde Simons R Gomes Richarlison Armstrong Solanke Predicted lineups
Recent Form (league)
Wolves: LLDWW
Tottenham Hotspur: DLLDL
Key Men
Wolves
Wolves are expected to play freely after getting the pressure of delivering off their shoulders. Edwards is expected to stick to the 3-4-2-1 formation allowing more freedom to the two players just behind the striker. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, in that wider number ten role, will be important.
Being fed on the right hand side, he can get into the free spaces in the Spurs defence and exploit the weaknesses they have there.
His long shots from the edge of the penalty box could also be difficult for Antonin Kinsky to deal with.
In midfield, the duo of Andre and Joao Gomes will be as key as they have been all season. They are the two bigger names in the team and are expected to exit through the Molineux door at the end of the season.
Impactful performances against a better-known team will only help raise their stock. They are not only expected to be goal threats but also track back to help out in defence.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham simply have to stop leaking goals. It has been the major weakness area in their game but a definitive solution needs to be found.
A whole lot will depend on their stand-in skipper Micky van de Ven, who has been growing in stature all season. De Zerbi has highlighted his influence in the team and it is time for him to stand and deliver.
Tottenham have seen his impact at the other end of the pitch but in the middle of a four man defence, where he fits best, Van de Ven will hope to flourish and carry the hopes of his team on his able shoulders.
Yet another difference maker could be Van de Ven’s Holland team-mate Xavi Simons. Simons showed the emotional side of his character when he appeared distraught following Brighton’s equaliser last week.
He appears to be deeply involved in each game he plays and has returned to a ‘really high level’, according to top flight star Alvin Martin.
Whether he can add to his goal tally for the season against a struggling Wolves side and lead Tottenham to a much needed victory remains to be seen.
Result Competition Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Wolves Premier League Wolves 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur Premier League Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Wolves Premier League Last three meetings
Match Prediction
Tottenham, who will have James Maddison on the bench, know they are very much entering the last chance saloon.
De Zerbi’s team will never get a better chance to find that winning touch back than against Edwards’ Wolves, who are realistically not going to bust a gut and risk injury.
Wolves though, backed by the home fans, will still want to end the season with as many highs as possible and dragging Tottenham down with them would be a big one.
However, if De Zerbi is able to sort out his defence and get some tough lessons into the heads of his players, Tottenham can register that elusive win which could kick start a spell to help them survive.
There is no doubt levels have been raised somewhat by the Italian and Spurs should show real intensity this afternoon.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
Wolves 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Where To Watch?
Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur will not be broadcast live in the UK, but can be followed via each club’s respective website with a kick-off time of 15:00 UK time.