#1 Fighting on all fronts
This is unchartered territory for many Wolves supporters. The Carabao Cup, traditionally known as the League Cup, hasn’t been an avenue of success for the club this side of the millennium, but under Julen Lopetegui, they’ll hope things are about to change. Wolves haven’t reached the last eight of this competition since the 1995/96 season, when Mark McGhee’s side, featuring Steve Bull and Don Goodman as a front two, were beaten 1-0 at Aston Villa. Before then, more than 20 years had passed since an appearance in the quarter finals. It’s a stage Wolves are only reaching for the fifth time ever this January and two of the previous four ended with the ultimate success – silverware.
The club’s League Cup victories at the famous old Wembley are etched in old gold history – John Richards netting a late winner against Manchester City in 1974 and Andy Gray scoring the only goal to sink League Cup and European champions Nottingham Forest six years on (more on that next). Wolves’ only other appearance at this stage of the competition came in 1973 – 12 months prior to that Richards success, as the old gold beat Blackpool via a replay, before bowing out to Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals.
#2 Wolves and Forest have history
When Wolves and Forest lock horns on Wednesday evening, they’ll feel familiar foes in this competition – it’s the fourth time the two clubs have met in the League Cup. Of course, the most famous of all came at Wembley in 1980, when Wolves defied the odds to lift the trophy. In a final more than 40 years ago, Forest were the overwhelming favourites, having won the previous two League Cup finals and being holders of the European Cup. Wolves hadn’t won a trophy since their last League Cup success and finished 18th in the First Division the previous season. The old gold had beaten Burnley, Crystal Palace, QPR, Grimsby Town – via two replays – and Swindon Town to book their place at Wembley and took their chance on the day. After the break, Gray pounced on confusion between Dave Needham and Peter Shilton, tapping into an empty net to ensure it was Wolves skipper Emlyn Hughes lifting the trophy in front of 100,000 spectators.
The pair have met twice in the competition since. In the 1994/95 season, when Forest finished third in the top flight, they won 3-2 at Molineux. The third round tie, played in front of 28,369 supporters, saw David Kelly and Paul Birch score for the hosts, but the visitors prevailed after a Stuart Pearce brace and Bryan Roy strike. Then, just last season, Wolves made the trip to the City Ground – three ties at three venues for the pair – for a second round tie. With roles reversed and Wolves now the Premier League side, their quality showed against Forest, as Bruno Lage’s men won 4-0 against a Forest side which would later transform their season to earn promotion.
#3 Choices aplenty for Lopetegui
At Anfield on Saturday, with the Emirates FA Cup the centre stage, Lopetegui made nine changes to the side which faced Aston Villa and saw a lot of good things in the players being given their opportunity. Now, with a big week ahead – West Ham United in the Premier League and the replay the following week – he must decide which way to turn for Forest. Some of his decisions will be based on injuries, with the Spaniard set to wait until the final moment tomorrow to give some players the opportunity to prove their fitness. Rayan Ait-Nouri is one of those in doubt and given to how he’s performed under the new coach, scoring twice and claiming the club’s recent Player of the Month award, his presence would be a boost.
Other talking points surrounding the cup tie include Matija Sarkic, Dexter Lembikisa and Matheus Cunha. Sarkic began the season playing in cup competitions, and after missing out against Gillingham in the last round, returned to start against Liverpool in the FA Cup. Now, will he keep his place? Lembikisa signed a new contract in the wake of his first senior start at Anfield, where, like Sarkic, he let nobody down. Then there’s Cunha, the club’s first signing of the window, who came off the bench against both Aston Villa and Liverpool and created the equaliser for Hee Chan Hwang on Saturday. He has now put himself in contention – likewise the South Korean, who came off the bench himself on Merseyside. All will be revealed at 6.45pm on Wednesday evening.
Hwang ➡️ Cunha ➡️ Hwang ➡️ ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/v1WB330pc5
— Wolves (@Wolves) January 8, 2023
#4 All must be decided on the night
The busy nature of the Wolves fixture schedule this month, which covers three competitions in the space of one week, supporters will be brushing up on the rules of the Carabao Cup. As has been the case in rounds two, three and four, Wednesday’s tie will be decided on penalties, in the event of a draw after 90 minutes. It means no extra time will be played at the City Ground on the night. Fortunately, Wolves haven’t been in that situation so far in this competition. Preston North End, Leeds United and Gillingham were all beaten within the 90 minutes at Molineux. It’s the same for Forest, they beat Grimsby Town, Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers without the need for penalties.
Steve Cooper’s side do go into the tie on the back of a FA Cup upset at the weekend, however, when they were beaten 4-1 by Championship Blackpool. That result was more surprising given the turnaround in fortunes for Forest in recent weeks, with the City Ground outfit taking a point from Chelsea, before beating Southampton in the Premier League since the turn of the year. The two clubs are at the wrong end of the Premier League table currently, but that matters for nothing in the cup.
