It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for. Fourteen years on, the Black Country Derby returns to Molineux with supporters in the stands as Wolves and West Bromwich Albion lock horns once again. Recently relegated Wolves welcome the Baggies across the Black Country for a Sunday lunchtime showdown where form, league positions and everything else can quickly go out of the window. Local pride and bragging rights are on the line.
Ever since Wolves’ relegation from the Premier League was confirmed, this is the fixture fans across the Black Country have been waiting for. When the fixtures finally came out, there was one date everyone immediately looked for — Wolves vs West Bromwich Albion.
Now the wait is almost over. Fourteen years on since the 5-1 at Molineux, the Baggies are heading back to Molineux for a league Black Country Derby with supporters in the stands, and the hype across the region is huge.
It’s Wolves. It’s Albion. It’s local pride and bragging rights on the line. The Black Country Derby is back.
Wolves will be without Raúl Jiménez after he picked up an injury against Everton in the Carabao Cup, which means they could now turn to Adam Armstrong to lead the line in the Black Country Derby.
And if there’s one player Albion fans probably won’t want to see lining up against us on Sunday, it’s Armstrong. He’s the type of striker who can cause problems with his pace and movement, and you just get that horrible feeling that he could potentially come back to haunt the Baggies on derby day.
With Jiménez ruled out, Armstrong could have a big opportunity to make himself the hero in gold and black — let’s just hope it isn’t at Albion’s expense.
Player To Watch – Wolves
Originally, our Wolves player to watch was going to be Raúl Jiménez, but following his injury at Everton, the spotlight now turns to Adam Armstrong.
Albion fans know Armstrong very well from his loan spell with the Baggies, and that alone makes him one of those players you really don’t want to see lining up against you in a Black Country Derby.
We’ve already been haunted by a former Baggie this season, with Will Lankshear scoring twice against us at the Riverside last month. Now the question is whether Armstrong will be the next name added to that frustrating list of former Albion players who have come back to hurt us.
With Jiménez out, Armstrong could get his opportunity on the biggest stage of all.
Can Albion keep our former striker quiet, or will Adam Armstrong come back to haunt the Baggies at Molineux?
Player To Watch – West Brom
For the Baggies, our player to watch is Ousmane Diakité.
If there’s a game made for Diakité, surely it’s the Black Country Derby. Albion’s number 17 brings energy, aggression and a real physical presence in the middle of the park, and winning that midfield battle at Molineux could be crucial.
The Mali international has featured in all seven of Albion’s Championship matches so far this season, starting six, and his ability to compete for the ball and break up play could be especially important in what is likely to be a frantic opening to the derby.
There had been some confusion over his availability following another booking against QPR, but he is expected to be available for Sunday’s trip to Molineux.
This isn’t necessarily the afternoon where Albion need Diakité to produce a goal or an assist. They need him to impose himself, win his battles and give the Baggies a platform in midfield.
Derbies need players willing to get stuck in — and Diakité could be absolutely vital for Albion on Sunday.
Line Up V Wolves
I’ve gone with a 4-4-2 for Albion, with a mixture of experience at the back, plenty of bite through midfield and two forwards who can give Wolves something different to think about.
Max O’Leary starts in goal behind a back four of Callum Styles, George Campbell, Nat Phillips and Conor Townsend. Phillips and Campbell give Albion a physical centre-back pairing, while Styles and Townsend will need to be disciplined because Wolves will look to exploit the wide areas.
The midfield is where this selection gets interesting. Harry Whitwell starts on the left, with Isaac Price operating from the right. In the centre, I’ve gone for Rabby Nzingoula alongside our player to watch, Ousmane Diakité. Both are naturally defensively minded midfielders, so that pairing could give Albion the energy and protection needed in what should be a fiercely contested derby.
Up front, it’s Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Aune Heggebø. Morgan offers the youthful energy and movement, while Heggebø gives us a more physical focal point. There are signs that the partnership can complement each other too, with Morgan looking more comfortable when he has a recognised line-leader alongside him.
It’s certainly an attacking-looking 4-4-2, but in a Black Country Derby at Molineux, the big question will be whether Albion can win that midfield battle without becoming too open.
Prediction V Wolves
It’s the big one. The prediction against the Dingles.
This is going to be a crazy game for sure, and you can already feel the buzz and tension building across the Black Country with only a few days to go. The last time these two sides met was that fiery FA Cup clash at The Hawthorns in January 2024, but this time the rivalry returns in the league and at Molineux. More than 30,000 supporters are expected inside the ground on Sunday, and after so long without a league Black Country Derby at Molineux with fans in attendance, the atmosphere should be unbelievable.
This isn’t just another Championship game — it’s Wolves vs Albion, and the Black Country will come to a standstill.
This would start out as both sides would come out trying to get something, I say Wolves would get a few early chances and I think Wolves will make the fast start and get themselves ahead in the 11th minute. A corner comes into the Albion box, we fail to deal with it properly and the ball falls kindly for Saïdou Mané, who strikes it home to send Molineux into absolute chaos. It’s work to do for the Baggies as they down 1-0 early on.
This is where I think the Black Country Derby could completely explode. Around the 40th minute, Albion find Jimmy-Jay Morgan breaking towards goal. Morgan gets himself into the box before Jackson Tchatchoua brings him down, and the referee immediately points to the spot. Tchatchoua is sent off for denying Morgan the opportunity, and suddenly tempers boil over. Players from both sides come together, there’s pushing and shoving everywhere and Molineux is absolutely raging while the travelling Baggies are loving every second of it.
Molineux is deafening. Wolves are furious after the sending-off, the players are still exchanging words and Price has to stand over the ball and wait for everything to calm down. He keeps his composure and puts Albion level right before half-time, sending the away end into absolute bedlam.
With Wolves down to ten men and the score 1–1, I think the second half would start with Albion immediately trying to take control. Wolves would sit deeper, protect the point and look to Adam Armstrong on the counter — and you just know our former loanee would have one big chance that makes every Baggies fan panic.
Around the hour mark, I’d think Armstrong would get in behind and go one-on-one with Max O’Leary, only for the Albion keeper to produce a massive save. That would feel like the warning Albion need. From there, the pressure builds. Diakité and Nzingoula start controlling the midfield, Price gets further forward and Wolves are finding it increasingly difficult to get out.
Then in the 78th minute, Price swings a dangerous ball into the box, Heggebø wins the first header and it drops into the path of Jimmy-Jay Morgan. After winning the penalty in the first half, Morgan reacts quickest and smashes it beyond the goalkeeper.
The final ten minutes would feel like ten hours. Wolves throw everything forward despite having ten men, Armstrong gets another sight of goal, there are bookings, arguments and probably another confrontation before Albion somehow survive a ridiculous amount of stoppage time to secure a big away win at Molineux.
Prediction: Wolves 1–2 West Brom
Goalscorers for Wolves: Saido Mané
Goalscorers for West Brom: Isaac Price (P), Jimmy-Jay Morgan
I’m going for a 2–1 Albion victory at Molineux, but I don’t think it will be straightforward. Wolves would make the better start and take an early lead, putting the Baggies under real pressure in an electric Black Country Derby atmosphere.
For me, though, the game-changing moment would be Jackson Tchatchoua’s predicted red card just before half-time. Going down to ten men would cost Wolves the control they had built up and give Albion the opportunity to turn the game around.
After Isaac Price levels from the penalty spot, I can see the Baggies taking control in the second half, making the extra man count and eventually finding the winner through Jimmy-Jay Morgan.
From there, it would be about seeing the game out as Albion cruise towards another famous Black Country Derby victory at Molineux.