Wolves have the chance to bounce back from their latest Premier League defeat against Leeds United, with Everton coming to Molineux tonight in the Carabao Cup.
Wanderers crashed to a fifth straight loss on Saturday against newly promoted Leeds, and the nature of the defeat is real cause for concern.
Wolves fans again chanted against Fosun, and it’s safe to say the mood around the club right now is not good.
But it’s back to Carabao Cup action tonight for Wolves, and up next it’s Everton in the third round, after Wolves beat West Ham United 3-2 last month.
Everton have started the new season fairly brightly, and have already beaten Wolves in the Premier League 3-2.
Hopefully, retribution will be on the cards this evening, and Molineux News predicts the starting XI Vitor Pereira could field.
Predicted Wolves XI to face Everton
Jose Sa has been heavily criticised for his performance against Leeds. Even if he’d played well at the weekend, he would likely have been rotated out for this game with Everton, but the game is potentially now a big chance for Sam Johnstone.
Wolves’ backline will also surely see some changes. Fans have called for Emmanuel Agbadou to be dropped after a string of poor displays, and it might be that we see Matt Doherty return.
Santiago Bueno deserves some minutes, and perhaps Ladislav Krejci will play in Toti Gomes’ usual position.
David Moller Wolfe didn’t even make the squad against Leeds, but perhaps this is a chance for the Norwegian to make an impression.
On the right, Jackson Tchatchoua could keep his place.
In midfield, Andre and Joao Gomes may both play as Pereira seeks to win the engine room battle, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in particularly poor form right now.
Jhon Arias may come back into the side after starting on the bench against Leeds, with Hwang Hee-chan to play as the other inside forward.
Up top, Pereira will surely want to get minutes into Jorgen Strand Larsen‘s legs.
Should this be the team that plays, it would mean eight changes from the side that started against Leeds.
Mateus Mane to make the bench?
One wonders if we might see Mateus Mane make his first squad of the season tonight.
Mane scored a superb goal for the Wolves U21s against Arsenal, and has made an impressive start to the new campaign.
Pereira called Mane ‘special’ last season and said the youngster would be a part of the first-team in 2025/26.
That hasn’t happened yet, but surely the Wolves manager won’t be able to ignore him for much longer.
It would be great to see him involved, and he could surely do no worse than what any of the other forwards have produced so far. Perhaps he could be a risk worth taking.