Fulham v Wolves: Visitors the key to 13/2 Monday night Bet Builder

• Fulham the joint-lowest scorers this season

• Wolves have impressed and are in decent form

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Fulham v Wolves
Monday, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports Football

Wolves in a much better place than Cottagers

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the team of people tasked with assigning Sky Sports' live TV games have an early Christmas party to attend on Monday night, given that they probably don't mind one jot about missing Fulham v Wolves.

It's certainly not the most appealing game ever to be given the Monday Night Football slot, but it's still odds-on to throw up more entertainment than Farage and co in the Aussie jungle!

Fulham have been poor. Following an opening-day win at Everton Marco Silva's men have won just two of their 11 Premier League games, and those both came at home to the red hot relegation favourites, Luton and Sheffield United.

Their problem is, and has been, scoring goals. They've hit the back of the net just 10 times in the league - the joint-lowest - since Aleksandar Mitrovic departed with the man brought in to replace him, Raul Jimenez scoring just once in 11 appearances.

And to add a bit of salt to the wound, the Cottagers' joint-top goalscorer this term, Joao Palhinha, will miss Monday night's game due to suspension. Fulham's star man will be a big miss.

Wolves are just three points better off than Fulham in the table but there's two crucial differences ahead of their trip to Craven Cottage; they're in much better form and they score regularly.

Considering they were among the relegation favourites themselves before the season started, Gary O'Neil's men have done brilliantly to sit mid table. They've lost just one of their last seven and in that spell they've defeated title contenders Man City and Tottenham, and held top four-chasing Aston Villa and Newcastle.

Wolves have scored in all 11 Premier League games since their opening-day defeat to Manchester United, and we all know they should have scored in that game also. For the record, Fulham have registered five blanks this term, including three (from five games played) on home soil.

Put simply, Wolves' recent form is on another level to Fulham's, but like their Monday night opponents, they'll have to do without their own star man for this clash as Pedro Neto remains sidelined with a muscle injury.

Away win a tempting wager

I was originally going to duck the Match Odds market in terms of recommending a tip, but having penned what I have already I've convinced myself that Wolves are a bet at 3.211/5 on the Betfair Exchange.

To repeat myself, I just believe they're a better team on current form and you have to be encouraged also by some Opta stats.

Wolves are unbeaten in all six meetings with Fulham since they returned to the Premier League in 2018, and they've lost just one of their last 14 meetings all told.

And a quirky stat that probably has little relevance - though I'm sure the Fulham squad will be aware of it - is that the Cottagers have lost their last six Premier League games on a Monday night, failing to score in five of those matches.

Ref and card stats point to 13/2 Bet Builder

As mentioned already, when I first looked at this game I wasn't really tempted to have a bet in the Match Odds, but obviously, as you know by now that has changed.

And the more I think about the game the more I fancy Wolves to at least avoid defeat, like they have in 13 of their last 14 clashes with Fulham, including in all of their last six Premier League meetings.

So Wolves or Draw (Double Chance) is the first leg of my Bet Builder.

But while doing my homework for this preview I noticed that Wolves average almost one yellow card per game more than Fulham, and with one of the Cottagers' main offenders for receiving cards, Palhinha, absent on Monday night then I think O'Neil's men to receive the most cards is another leg to add to the Bet Builder.

And finally, the referee on duty on Monday night is Michael Salisbury, and he has to be considred one of the most card-sad - well, if card-happy means to dish lots of cards out then card-sad is the opposite, right? - referees on the Premier League rota.

There are 16 top flight refs who have officiated at least five games this term and Salisbury is by some distance the referee who hands out the least cards. He has shown just 14 cards this term at an average of 2.8 per game.

Backing Under 4.5 Cards on Monday night is the final leg of our Bet Builder that pays out at around 13/27.50 if successful.

Read more Premier League previews and tips here.