Attention returns to the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, as Wolves travel to Brighton & Hove Albion, and wolves.co.uk provides the lowdown ahead of the long trip south.
1 | Roll Call
Some of Gary O’Neil's players are nursing niggles ahead of the trip and he hinted at changes for the cup tie. In defence, Toti missed the weekend’s game due to a hamstring injury and is unlikely to be risked, while Craig Dawson’s minutes must be managed and Yerson Mosquera didn’t return from international duty completely fit. Santiago Bueno will hope to step in, while O’Neil suggested he may turn to youth elsewhere. Nelson Semedo and Andre were both withdrawn with cramp against Newcastle United, while Rayan Ait-Nouri turned his ankle against the Magpies, so all three may be replaced. Carlos Forbs could make his full debut, having come on late on Sunday, while Matt Doherty, Tommy Doyle and Hee Chan Hwang all came on too, so will hope for the opportunity to impress from the start.
Joao Pedro has scored in two of his three outings so far this term but missed Saturday’s draw to Ipswich Town due to injury and manager Fabian Hurzeler said he’ll be assessed in training ahead of Wednesday. Mats Wieffer, who joined from Feyenoord in the summer, is in contention to start, but Brajan Gruda is still recovering from injury. Georginio Rutter is ineligible having played for Leeds United in the competition prior to his Brighton move. Solly March is out with a long-term knee injury, while Matt O’Riley and James Milner also missed out at the weekend.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Goncalo Guedes | 2
- Joao Pedro (and two others) | 2
Assists
- Jorgen Strand Larsen (and five others) | 1
- Simon Adingra (and seven others) | 1
Biggest win
- Wolves 2-0 Burnley | August 2024
- Brighton 4-0 Crawley | August 2024
Yellow cards
- Joao Gomes (and two others) | 2
- Yankuba Minteh | 2
3 | Journey to Wednesday
There was plenty to like in Wolves’ performance against Newcastle, but ultimately the points didn’t follow, after Mario Lemina’s strike counted for nothing following the away side’s comeback. Performance-wise it was a further stride in the right direction after a spirited 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest prior to the international period. In the second round of the Carabao Cup, Goncalo Guedes scored in both halves as the Old Gold saw off Championship side Burnley. That’s Wolves’ only win to date this term, following early defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea too, and O’Neil will hope a positive showing on the south coast can build some momentum for the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
The Seagulls have drawn their last two in the Premier League. Saturday was a frustrating one, after they extended their unbeaten run, but were held to a goalless draw by newly promoted Ipswich Town. Two weeks earlier, Albion became the only side to have taken points off Arsenal so far, with Pedro scoring the equaliser after the Gunners had been reduced to ten men. To begin the campaign, they’d comfortably won at Goodison Park and scored late, again through Pedro, to beat Manchester United on home soil. The second round of the Carabao Cup was comfortable, as four different scorers helped beat League One side Crawley Town.
The pitchside view of a great team goal 🎥 pic.twitter.com/ZxGFYVQuCU
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 16, 2024
4 | The Moroccan Maldini strikes
Wolves’ last win at the Amex came three years ago, courtesy of the right boot of Romain Saiss. Like this week, Wolves faced a midweek trip to Brighton back in the December 2021, but that didn’t stop them returning to winning ways under Bruno Lage. Saiss scored the only goal when he expertly guided home Ruben Neves’ delightfully clipped pass on the stroke of half-time. Wolves had countless chances to make the win more comfortable on the break and Saiss hit the post when searching for his second, but it mattered not, as Lage’s men returned with the points.
Brighton | Sanchez, Lamptey, Burn, Veltman, Cucurella, Bissouma (Richards 84), Mwepu (Lallana 84), Moder, March, Connolly (Mac Allister 61), Trossard.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Marcal, Neves, Moutinho, Podence, Trincao (Silva 89), Hwang (A Traore 16)(Dendoncker 89).
