Wolverhampton Wanderers will look to continue their encouraging start to the campaign when they welcome Stoke City for a domestic cup encounter at Molineux.
Wolves enter the contest in strong form, while the Potters have struggled for consistency and will need to overcome a particularly poor recent record away from home.
Recent history between the clubs favours Stoke, but current momentum points firmly towards the hosts and Wolves approach the fixture in excellent spirits after recording a 2-0 EFL Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday. Wolves controlled 52% of possession and attempted 13 shots, although only three were on target. An early own goal from Sil Swinkels gave them the advantage before Saheed Olagunju struck on the stroke of half-time to put the contest beyond Wednesday.
More encouraging than the individual result is Wolves’ broader attacking consistency. They have scored in each of their last six matches, finding the net 12 times during that sequence while conceding only five. Their recent record of four wins and two draws demonstrates that they are becoming increasingly difficult to beat.
Maintaining that attacking rhythm should be particularly important against a Stoke defence that has struggled to keep opponents out. There are still some concerns surrounding Wolves’ home form, though. Despite remaining unbeaten in their previous three home league fixtures, they have gone four league matches at Molineux without recording a victory.
A cup fixture against struggling opposition therefore provides an excellent opportunity to restore confidence on their own ground and Stoke City arrive at Molineux in considerably less convincing form. The Potters’ last six matches have produced just one victory, alongside one draw and four defeats. Defensive vulnerability has been a recurring problem, with Stoke conceding in five of those six games and allowing 11 goals in total.
Their most recent EFL Cup encounter against Hull City provided further frustration. Stoke took the lead through Robert Bozeník in the 39th minute, but Kieran Dowell equalised before half-time. With neither side able to find a winner, the contest eventually went to penalties.
Although the Potters demonstrated enough resilience to remain competitive, their inability to protect another advantage highlighted the defensive problems that have affected their recent performances. Those weaknesses could prove particularly costly against a Wolves side that has scored in every one of its last six outings.
Perhaps the biggest problem facing Stoke is their record away from homeThe Potters have gone 10 consecutive league away matches without a victory, illustrating just how difficult they as thave found it to impose themselves outside their own stadium. Molineux is therefore hardly the ideal venue for them to rediscover their best form.
Stoke may consequently adopt a cautious approach, attempting to keep their defensive structure compact and prevent Wolves from establishing an early rhythm. If they can remain level deep into the contest, pressure could begin to build on the hosts. However, conceding first would likely force Stoke to become more adventurous and expose the defensive spaces that Wolves will look to exploit.
Interestingly, historical meetings paint a very different picture from the teams’ current form and across six previous head-to-head encounters dating back to January 2011, Stoke have recorded five victories compared with only one for Wolves, with none of those matches ending level. The Potters have outscored Wolves 9-4 across those six meetings, producing an average of 2.17 goals per game.
Wolves have also failed to beat Stoke in their last three league encounters but, much has changed since many of those meetings, and the current momentum of the two clubs suggests that historical dominance may have limited influence on this contest. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves head into the meeting with Stoke City in encouraging form, having followed a 3-1 Championship victory over Preston North End with a 2-0 EFL Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday. Cesar Peixoto has several options available and could largely return to his strongest side after making changes in the cup.
In terms of injury and suspension news, Kieran Trippier and Yerson Mosquera are currently ruled out for the foreseeable future, while Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Rafiki Said have been working their way back but were not ready for the midweek cup fixture.
Wolves are expected to operate in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jose Sa starting in goal. Jackson Tchatchoua should occupy the right-back position, while Nasser Djiga and Toti Gomes form the central defensive partnership. Hugo Bueno is expected to start at left-back, where his ability to advance and provide width should complement Wolves’ attacking players.
Marshall Munetsi and André Trindade should form the central midfield partnership. André can sit deeper and help dictate possession, while Munetsi’s athleticism and willingness to make forward runs provide a more dynamic presence. Munetsi has already demonstrated his attacking value this season, scoring against Blackburn on the opening weekend.
Further forward, Rodrigo Gomes should operate from the right wing, with Fer Lopez occupying the central number 10 role and Matheus Mane starting from the left. Lopez has been particularly influential during the early weeks of the campaign, including scoring twice in the recent 3-1 victory over Preston.
Raul Jiménez should lead the line as the centre-forward and the Mexican’s experience, movement and finishing give Wolves an established focal point, while his ability to link with López and the two wide attackers should help the hosts create opportunities against Stoke’s vulnerable defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sa; Tchatchoua, Djiga, Gomes, Bueno; Munetsi, Trindade; Gomes, Lopez, Mane; Jimenez
Stoke City
Stoke City travel to Molineux with a largely healthy squad, giving Mark Robins plenty of options as he attempts to improve on the Potters’ inconsistent recent form. Given Wolves’ attacking threat, Stoke are likely to adopt a relatively compact approach while looking to break quickly through their wide players.
In terms of injury and suspension news, Junior Tchamadeu is the only confirmed fitness absentee, with the defender ruled out because of a knee injury. Otherwise, Robins has close to a full-strength squad available, while there are no confirmed suspension concerns affecting the expected starting XI.
Stoke are expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Viktor Johansson starting in goal. Benjamin Johnson should operate at right-back, with Ben Wilmot and Ben Gibson forming the central defensive partnership. Eric Junior Bocat is expected to occupy the left-back position. The back four will need to remain compact, particularly when Wolves’ attacking midfielders drift into central areas.
Ethan Galbraith and Djibril Soumaré should form the central midfield double pivot. Galbraith can help Stoke progress possession and dictate their passing from deeper positions, while Soumaré should provide greater physicality and defensive protection in front of the back four.
Further forward, Sam Gallagher is expected to operate from the right side of the attacking midfield line, with Bae Jun-ho occupying the central number 10 position and Sorba Thomas starting from the left. Bae’s movement between the lines should make him an important creative outlet, while Thomas can provide a more direct threat with his pace and crossing ability.
George Hirst should lead the line as the centre-forward. His physical presence will give Stoke an outlet when they need to play more directly, while his ability to hold up possession could allow Gallagher, Bae and Thomas to join attacks from deeper positions.
With Wolves likely to enjoy more possession, Stoke’s chances may depend on how effectively their midfield protects the defence and how quickly they can transition after winning the ball. Set pieces could also provide an important route to goal against the hosts.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johansson; Johnson, Wilmot, Gibson, Bocat; Galbraith, Soumare; Gallagher, Jun-ho, Thomas; Hirst
Key Stats
- Wolves are unbeaten in their first four competitive matches this season, recording three wins and one draw while scoring 10 goals.
- toke have lost both of their opening Championship matches, conceding five goals against Swansea City and Southampton.
- Stoke have dominated the recent head-to-head record, winning four of the last five competitive meetings with Wolves.
- Wolves are averaging 2.5 goals per Championship match this season, compared with Stoke’s 1.0 goal per game.
- The last competitive meeting at Molineux ended in a 1-0 Stoke victory, when the Potters eliminated Wolves from the EFL Cup in September 2020.
Player to Watch
Fer Lopez
Lopez has already demonstrated his end product, scoring in the 3-0 EFL Cup victory over Port Vale before producing a brace in Wolves’ 3-1 Championship win against Preston North End. He also supplied an excellent through-ball for Marshall Munetsi’s goal against Blackburn Rovers.
Expected to operate as the number 10 behind Raul Jiménez, López should find opportunities to exploit the space between Stoke’s midfield and defence. His close control, vision and ability to carry the ball into dangerous areas make him particularly difficult to contain.
With Stoke having struggled defensively during the early stages of the campaign, López could be the player who provides the decisive creative spark at Molineux.
Prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Stoke City
Stoke’s excellent historical record against Wolves provides some encouragement, but almost every recent indicator favours the hosts. Wolves are unbeaten in six, have scored in every match during that sequence and have conceded only five goals. Stoke, meanwhile, have lost four of their last six and continue to struggle defensively and away from home.
The visitors should still make the contest competitive, particularly if Wolves rotate their starting XI. However, the hosts possess greater confidence and should create enough opportunities to exploit Stoke’s defensive vulnerabilities. Wolves may need patience, but their superior recent form should eventually see them progress.
