Wolverhampton Wanderers are all set to host West Ham United in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Having lost their opening two Premier League games, Wolves and West Ham United will both be looking to kick-start their season with a win when they meet in the EFL Cup. The result of this fixture could have a massive say on GrahamPotter’s long-term future at the London club.
Wolves started the new season with a massive 4-0 defeat at home to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. They were by far the second-best team on the day. While they were hoping to get things back on track against Bournemouth, things did not really go according to plan as they ended up losing 1-0.
Given how things have panned out for Vitor Pereira’s team, he will be hoping to get things back on track when they host West Ham in the cup. The Hammers have not been in the best of form, and Wolves could see this as an opportunity to secure their first win of the new campaign.
The visitors suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat at the hands of newly promoted Sunderland. Despite dominating the ball and creating more chances, they ended up on the losing side as they were not clinical enough in the final third.
In Gameweek 2, Graham Potter’s team was smashed 5-1 at the hands of Chelsea. While they did open the scoring, things only went downhill for them post that first ten minutes. The Hammers will be hoping to put up a much-improved performance against Wolves. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Wolves
The home team will be without the services of Leon Chiwome. Apart from the young English attacker, everyone else should be available for selection.
Wolves will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Sam Johnstone will be in goal. Toti Gomes picked up a red card last time out, and with the 26-year-old unavailable for the next Premier League outing, he is certain to start here. The Portuguese international will partner Yerson Mosquera and Matt Doherty in the central defensive unit.
Ki-Jana Hoever and Hugo Bueno are expected to be the wing-backs, while Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will partner with Andre in a more central role. Meanwhile, Marshall Munetsi and Jhon Arias will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Sasa Kalajdzic should spearhead the Wolves attack against West Ham United.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Johnstone; Doherty, Mosquera, Gomes; Hoever, Bellegarde, Andre, Bueno; Munetsi, Kalajdzic, Arias
Wolves vs West Ham United Predicted XI
West Ham United
The Hammers will be without the services of Crysencio Summerville. Meanwhile, George Earthy and Luis Guilherme are doubtful for this one.
Graham Potter’s team will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Mads Hermansen will be in goal. The back three will be made of Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, and Nayef Aguerd.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf will feature as the wing-backs, while James Ward-Prowse and Freddie Potts should be the two central midfielders. The duo will look to control the tempo of this game.
Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta will feature as the attacking midfielders behind Niclas Fullkrug, who will lead the line for West Ham vs Wolves on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Hermansen; Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd; Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse, Potts, Diouf; Paqueta, Bowen; Fullkrug
Wolves vs West Ham United Predicted XI
Key Stats
Wolves and West Ham United have both lost their first two league games heading into this cup tie.
Wolves were knocked out of the third round of the EFL Cup last season.
Vitor Pereira have failed to win any of their last six competitive fixtures, losing five of them.
West Ham have only kept one clean sheet in their last 11 league games.
Potter is under pressure, having won just five out of the 21 matches since taking charge.
Prediction
Niclas Fullkrug
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The 32-year-old struggled with injuries in his debut campaign with West Ham United. He was involved in just 20 games and racked up less than 900 minutes of first-team action. Fullkrug only contributed towards five goals last season, and he will be eager to get things back on track this season.
While he is yet to score this season, at his best, the German international can certainly have a big say on the end result of this fixture. Potter will be hoping the experienced campaigner steps up and gets his team the desired result.
Prediction
Wolves 1-2 West Ham United
West Ham United might have endured a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign, but the EFL Cup offers Graham Potter’s side a chance to regroup and build some momentum. With key players like Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta capable of turning games on their own, the Hammers will be hopeful of producing a response after back-to-back defeats.
Niclas Fullkrug’s presence up front gives them a focal point, and if he can find his rhythm, West Ham could finally get their season up and running. As for Wolves, they too are desperate for a positive result after two straight league losses.
Vitor Pereira’s men have looked short of confidence and ideas in the final third, and while they will have home support behind them, their defensive frailties remain a concern. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the away team.