Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to bank their initial 2025/26 Premier League points when they host Everton at Molineux on Saturday, August 30. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3:00 PM BST (10:00 AM EDT, 7:00 AM PDT), with both teams approaching the match in polar opposite moods after inconsistent beginnings to the campaign.
Vítor Pereira's team are still to get their rhythm going in the league. Wolves were smashed 4-0 by Manchester City in their season opener and subsequently lost a close 1-0 game at Bournemouth, where defender Toti was red-carded soon after the halfway mark.
There was some glimmer of hope in the midweek though when Wolves beat West Ham 3-2 in the EFL Cup second round. Rodrigo Gomes and Jørgen Strand Larsen, with his late introduction, put them through into the third round against their Evertonian foes once more. Confidence from winning will serve Wolves well and see them go for cup form to count for league points, so desperately needed.
It is the opposite for David Moyes' Everton, who are riding high following an ideal start to life in their new stadium, the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Toffees beat Brighton 2-0 at the weekend with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner, and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford completed the victory with a late penalty save which proved decisive.
Momentum continued into midweek as Everton advanced in the EFL Cup by beating Mansfield Town 2-0 courtesy of Carlos Alcaraz and Beto. The only flaw was the opening-day loss to Leeds, but Moyes' players seem to be getting up to speed with the season in double quick time.
The two sides have a relatively level-headed record over the last seven years or so. Wolves have won five of the past eight League meetings, while Everton's woes at Molineux are well-documented – just two wins in their past 12 trips there, their most recent in front of a crowd last seen in 2011. Over the history of the two sides, out of 144 meetings, Everton hold the slight edge with 64 wins to Wolves' 51, with 29 draws.
Wolves will reintroduce Toti, who completed his suspension in the cup. New signing Ladislav Krejčí may come into defence, while Jackson Tchatchoua starts at right wing-back in place of injured Ki-Jana Hoever. Striker Strand Larsen, who has been mentioned with Newcastle this week, is still Wolves' principal attacking threat.
Wolves projected XI (4-3-3): José Sá; Tchatchoua, Doherty, Toti, Agbadou, Møller Wolfe; André, João Gomes, Bellegarde, Arias; Strand Larsen.
For Everton, record signing Tyler Dibling may make his full debut following a positive impact off the bench midweek. Everton will have to do without defenders Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson, however, with Vitaliy Mykolenko available again. Up front, Beto is likely to start in place of Thierno Barry.
Everton projected XI (4-3-3): Pickford; O'Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Gana Gueye, Iroegbunam, Dewsbury-Hall; Grealish, Ndiaye, Beto.
Prediction and Predicted Score line
This will be a close clash. Wolves are in desperate need of points, while Everton are gaining momentum. Low-scoring draw seems probable. Predicted score line is Wolves 1-1 Everton a draw.
