Newcastle vs. Wolverhampton prediction, odds, line: Expert reveals English Premier League picks for April 8

Newcastle will be happy to be home for Friday’s English Premier League match against Wolverhampton. The Magpies (7-10-13) have played four straight road games, losing the past three, so they welcome the comfort of at St. James’ Park, where they have played well. Wolves (15-4-12) is on the edge of the fight to qualify for one of next year’s European competitions. It sits eighth in the Premier League table, one point behind a seventh spot that would earn a Conference League bid. It is five points out of fourth, with the top four going to the UEFA Champions League. The No. 5 and 6 teams go to the Europa League. Newcastle is in 15th position but is nine points clear of the relegation zone, and its new ownership has been spending money and building expectations.     

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Newcastle as the +127 favorite (risk $100 to win $127) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Newcastle vs. Wolverhampton odds, with Wolves the +245 underdog. A draw is priced at +210 and the over-under for total goals scored is set at 2.5. Before you lock in any Wolves vs. Newcastle or English Premier League picks, you need to see what red-hot SportsLine soccer insider Brandt Sutton has to say.

Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor for nearly five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

Sutton has also been on a roll with his best bets, going 11-3 in his last 14 soccer picks, returning over $600 for $100 bettors during that span.

Now, Sutton has broken down the Newcastle vs. Wolverhampton matchup from every angle and just locked in his Premier League picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Wolverhampton vs. Newcastle:

• Newcastle vs. Wolves spread: Newcastle -0.5 (+130)
• Newcastle vs. Wolves over-under: 2.5 goals 
• Newcastle vs. Wolves money line: Newcastle +127, Wolves +245, Draw +210 
• NEW: FW Allan Saint-Maximin is eighth in carries into the penalty area (42) 
• WLV: MF Joao Moutinho is tied for fourth in the league in tackles won (48)

Why you should back Newcastle

The Magpies are the favorite because they have been tough to beat on their home turf this season. They have scored 20 of their 33 goals and taken at least a point from 10 of their 14 games (4-6-4) at St. James’ Park. They will be looking for strong backing from the crowd after a 5-1 loss to Tottenham last weekend. One of Newcastle’s other losses in the the three-game slide was to league power Chelsea, so it isn’t hanging its head too much. It had gone unbeaten in nine straight league games (6-3-0) before a 1-0 loss to the Blues triggered the slide.

The team went on a lavish spending spree in the January transfer window, adding veteran goal scorer Chris Wood and 24-year-old Bruno Guimaraes, among others. Wood scored three goals with Burnley and has one since coming over, and he has 137 in his club career. He and Allan Saint-Maximin (five goals) can do some damage, and Newcastle has 25 more shots than Wolves this season. It also has allowed six fewer shots on target and had a 3-2 edge in that department in the last meeting. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has four clean sheets this season.  

Why you should back Wolves

Wolverhampton has the confidence of having won that last meeting, with Hwang Hee-Chan scoring twice in the 2-1 victory in October. He and Raul Jimenez (six goals, three assists) could cause major trouble for a Newcastle defense that has conceded 54 goals, fourth-most in the league. Wolves has allowed half that many, with its 27 the fourth-fewest, while both teams have scored 33. It also has been equally good in its road games this season, getting eight of its 15 victories and 26 of its 49 points away from home. It is plus-4 in goal differential in road games. 

The defense and goalkeeping are tough to crack, and Wolves should control the ball. It is just under 50 percent in possession, which ranks in the middle of the Premier League, while Newcastle has the second-lowest possession rate at 39.7 percent. Newcastle averages just 3.53 shots on target per game, so it could have few chances to get one past Wolverhampton goalkeeper Jose Sa. He leads the league with an 82.8 save percentage and is third with 102 saves. Center back Conor Coady and midfielder Joao Moutinho form a strong defensive spine.

How to make EPL and Newcastle vs. Wolves picks

Sutton has analyzed the Newcastle vs. Wolverhampton match from all sides, and he is taking the over on the goal total. He also provides another confident best bet that returns plus-money and has a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing his expert EPL picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Wolverhampton vs. Newcastle in Friday’s Premier League matchup? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Newcastle vs. Wolverhampton match, all from the soccer expert on a 11-3 run on his soccer picks, and find out.