Wolves v West Bromwich Albion: The Black Country Derby returns
Wolves and West Bromwich Albion meet in a league derby at Molineux for the first time in over five years with fans in attendance.
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This Sunday, Molineux will host one of English football's most storied fixtures as Wolverhampton Wanderers face West Bromwich Albion in the Black Country derby. It marks the first league meeting between the sides in over five years and the first time fans will be present at Molineux for this fixture since 2012.
Dating back to 1888, the rivalry is incredibly tight, with Albion holding 55 league wins to Wolves' 52. While the Baggies have dominated the fixture since the new millennium, winning 10 of 18 meetings, Wolves secured the most recent victory in an FA Cup clash in January 2024.
Preparation has been intense. Albion boss James Morrison has even utilized club historians to educate his squad on the fixture's heritage. Meanwhile, Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto, facing his first derby, has urged his players to maintain composure, balancing passion with tactical discipline as they look to move up from their current position in the Championship table.
The match carries extra weight beyond the points, as both clubs look to put recent history behind them. Ahead of the game, both sides issued a joint statement calling for friendly rivalry, following crowd disturbances during their last meeting. With just three points separating the clubs in the league, the atmosphere is expected to be white-hot.