The FA Cup Brings Back Rare Black Country Derby

West Bromwich Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

With a rivalled past running through their veins, the FA Cup showdown between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers will grace the football world once again with a proper Black Country Derby.

The Baggies advanced to the 4th round of the FA Cup after thrashing National League outfit Aldershot Town with a 4-1 score line. Meanwhile, Wolves took the longer route, having to face the resilient Brentford in the 3rd round and in the 3rd round replays.

Nonetheless, these rivals will once again share the pitch and will have a chance to finally settle their last derby, which ended in a 1-1 draw way back in 2021.

There are still 32 teams left in the FA Cup with notable matchups in place, but the Black Country derby will definitely squeeze its way into the FA Cup 2024 news outlets all over the football world.

Talking Points

Rayan Ait-Nouri back in time for the Black Country Derby

Gary O’Neil openly expressed his praises for his 22-year-old ace, Ait-Nouri. But his exclaims were hurriedly muted when the left-back departed the club earlier in the month to join Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“He has an incredible talent and ability, and I feel the biggest improvement can be made with him just by coaching and him understanding his roles and responsibilities better for each game,” O’Neil stated.

At only 22 years of age, Ait-Nouri is already displaying skill and maturity in a position that requires immense poise and football IQ.

His stellar showing with Wolverhampton even piqued the interest of multiple Champions League-calibre outfits such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and even Ligue 1 champions PSG.

Ait-Nouri poses as much importance to the Wolves as he does for Algeria. Unfortunately for Les Fennecs, their aspirations for a deep run in the Africa Cup of Nations were cut short after a disappointing run in the group stages.

Algeria finished dead last in their cluster with a 0-2-1 record, forcing an early exit from the tournament. But Algeria’s woes turned out to be Wolverhampton’s fortune. With Algeria’s elimination, O’Neil’s star defender will be able to suit up for his Premier League outfit sooner than they expected.

Actually, it came at the most opportune time. The rest of the Wanderers did their part, bracing the Premier League without Hwang Hee-chan and Ait-Nouri and doing so proficiently, mainly because of Matheus Cunha’s emergence. Now, the 22-year-old could give his teammates a much-needed boost against their rivals, West Bromwich.

Carlos Corberan making the difference for West Brom

The former Olympiacos head coach, Carlos Corberan, has transformed the Baggies from a mediocre Championship outfit into a relevant contender.

Ever since their relegation from the top flight after the 2020–21 season, the Baggies haven’t made a significant run to set them apart from the Championship table. Since 2020, West Brom have scoured the corners of the football world in search of the right manager.

Sam Allardyce, Valérien Ismaël, Steve Bruce, and Richard Beale all took a crack at being the man at the helm for the distressed Baggies, finishing 10th and 9th in the Championship ever since their most recent relegation.

It was not until Carlos Corberan took reigns as head honcho that the Baggies started to make a significant improvement.

With a 13-6-9 record after 28 games, the Baggies are poised to finish with their best record since going back to the Championship. And after a 4-1 thumping of Aldershot in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, the Baggies could be a force to be reckoned with, even against top-flight adversaries.

History

Both outfits have shared time in both the Premier League and the Championship, which is why they have played a total of 13 games since 2006. In those 13 games, the Baggies have won eight, while the Wolves have only managed to win two and tally three draws to boot.

Their last head-to-head was back in 2021 at the Hawthorns, where Wolves were leading right before halftime. But the scrappy Diagne manages to equalise in minute 62. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, and fans are surely excited for these clubs to break their stalemate since 2021.

Betting Tip 

With the Premier League side priced at 1.98 against a Championship outfit, punters would surely see this as a value offer.

Gary O’Neil and his men are ramping up in the English top flight, winning three of their last five in the Premier League, with a victory over Brentford in the FA Cup in between. A price of 1.98 should have punters salivating, and their Asian Handicap of -0.50 at 1.98 is looking like a good deal as well.

West Brom are the underdogs at 3.36, and with these upset-riddled tournaments, brave punters would consider this line as well. But to have the favourites at 1.98 should pose enough value to undermine West Brom’s price.

Their offencive capabilities are a bit streaky as of late, so I personally would stray away from their over/under. But if asked to choose, this SBOTOP writer would go for total goals under 2.75 at 1.70.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.