The pressure continues to build on Wolves manager Vitor Pereira as his side prepare to host Chelsea in the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday night. Kick off is at 7.45pm, and the game will be shown live on Sky Sports+, with coverage also available through Sky Go and NOW.
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Wolves find themselves in serious trouble at the bottom of the Premier League after their 3-2 defeat to Burnley at the weekend left them winless after nine matches and with just two points on the board.
Frustration boiled over at full-time, with supporters venting their anger towards Pereira and the players. The Portuguese boss is now under intense scrutiny, and this EFL Cup tie might be his last chance to relieve some of that pressure.
To their credit, Wolves have managed to find some respite in this competition, beating West Ham and Everton earlier in the campaign. However, with confidence low and defensive frailties continuing to haunt them, they face a huge challenge against a Chelsea side determined to bounce back from their own disappointment.
Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League was another setback for Enzo Maresca, whose team have struggled for consistency this season.
The Blues will see the EFL Cup as a realistic opportunity to end their trophy drought, having last lifted the competition in 2015. Maresca will expect a strong reaction from his players here, especially against a side rooted to the foot of the table.
Wolves’ problems have been clear for everyone to see. Going forward, they’ve managed to create chances and even found a way back into games, as they did when recovering from two goals down at Burnley. But their defensive organisation has been their downfall, with only one clean sheet all season and a worrying tendency to concede from simple situations.
Chelsea have their own defensive issues, but their attacking quality should be enough to take advantage of Wolves’ fragile back line.
Even if Maresca opts to rotate his squad, the Blues’ depth in attack gives them a significant edge, with players such as Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling all capable of causing problems.
This game might provide Wolves with some relief from their league struggles, but facing a Chelsea side eager to respond makes it difficult to see anything other than an away win. I can see Wolves finding the net given their attacking intent at Molineux, but ultimately, I expect Chelsea’s superior quality to shine through and book their place in the quarter finals.
