Football Bet of the Day: Ait-Nouri big price for a card

This Premier League clash between two strugglers has already been dubbed El Sackico. West Ham United host Wolves on Monday night (20:00, Sky Sports Main Event), knowing that a defeat could well spell the end of the road for Julen Lopetegui, who only replaced David Moyes in the summer. 

Meanwhile Gary O’Neil in the opposite dugout has lost the support of a lot of the Wolves fanbase, and his side were booed off as they lost 4-0 to Everton last time out. It means this game has a whole lot riding on it, and below you will find my West Ham United vs Wolves Bet Builder Tips. 

John Brooks has been appointed as the referee for this game, and that only strengthens my belief that this will be a pretty feisty affair between two teams that are struggling this season. The pressure is on both men in the dugouts and the players will be aware of the importance of this 90 minutes on Monday night. 

I’ve chosen Rayan Ait-Nouri to get booked in this one for several reasons. First of all, he has played in every Wolves game so far during this Premier League season, and is almost guaranteed to start again at left wing-back. Second of all, he’s picked up four yellow cards to date, so although he is just one away from a ban, he is one of the highest offenders in this Woves team. 

He’s committed 17 fouls and made 21 tackles this season, which puts him as one of the top foulers across either team, but unlike somebody like Joao Gomes, we are getting much better value on him to pick up another yellow. I also like to look at who these wing-backs or full-backs will be up against when choosing them to get a yellow. 

In Jarrod Bowen, Ait-Nouri will have his hands full with one of the best wingers in the league. Bown has drawn 14 fouls this season already while Ait-Nouri has also drawn 14, meaning I think we could get a bit of bite between these two players, and perhaps they could get tangled up with each other at some point. 

Overall, West Ham currently sit 15th in the Fair Play table with 32 yellows and two reds so far this term, while Wolves have picked up 36 yellows and no reds. Brooks is the man in the middle and he has been dishing out the cards at a rapid rate lately. Even during a fairly tame game in the form of Manchester United 4-0 Everton, he dished out five yellows, while in another one-sided encounter - Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham, he gave out six. 

In the more even game of Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal, he gave both teams four cards, so in his last three appearances he has issued 19 slices of cheddar. That gives me enough reason to believe he won’t hold back in what should be a scrappy and hotly-contested battle in the capital. Ultimately I think West Ham will come out on top in what should be an end-to-end, no holds barred fixture at the London Stadium. 

But I think Ait-Nouri offers the best value to find himself in Brooks’ little black book by the time he blows his final whistle. Our Football Bet of the Day for Monday, December 9 is Rayan Ait-Nouri to get booked at 18/5.

Offers

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