Wolverhampton Wanderers VS Everton Match Prediction
2018-08-11
16:30:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers
VS
Everton
Our Prediction Tip
Wolverhampton Wanderers will win this match.
2018-08-1116:30:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers will win this match.
Everton have won 60 of their 130 matches against Wolves, with Wolves winning 44 of those. In Wolves’ most recent Premier League stint, they failed to beat Everton at all – losing two and drawing four. Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines, both still at Everton, were the Toffees’ goalscorers when they won 2-1 at Goodison Park but the most recent game at Molineux was a goalless draw in May 2012.
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Wolves could make a serious impact on the Premier League on their return to the top flight this season. They were hugely impressive in the Championship and they have bought well this summer too.
With plenty of financial backing, they should finish well up the table and could even rival Everton for seventh place, such is their strength on paper.
And they can certainly beat Everton first up this season, at home and with their free-flowing passing and counter-attacking style.
Ruben Neves, Helder Costa, Diogo Jota and now Joao Mountinho and Rui Patricio are hugely impressive signings – the former three all shone in the Championship and the latter two offer a wealth of experience for their Premier League return.
Everton have invested this summer too, with Richarlison reuniting with Marco Silva, and Silva’s success early last season with Watford could be a sign of what to expect from the Toffees this year.
But Wolves can make a real statement of intent in this first game of the new season, setting up what could be a big season with a big win.
Wolves are favourites to win on their return to the Premier League, with Bet365 offering 11/8 on the hosts emerging victorious at Molineux.
You can expect goals looking at how both teams pre-seasons have played out so far. Betfair are offering 9/10 on both teams to score, while over 2.5 goals returns 6/5 with the same bookmaker.
A Wolves win and over 2.5 goals is worth 3/1 with Ladbrokes, meanwhile.
Diogo Jota was Wolves’ top scorer last season and you can get 40/17 from 888sport on him scoring at any time in Saturday’s game.
Raul Jimenez is set to be the focal point of the attack, however, and he can be backed at 28/13 to score any time, having netted against Villarreal last time out.
Wolves have an exciting line-up, backed by some impressive new signings, and with home advantage too could make a real statement with a big win on the opening day.
Wolves appear to have ten of their 11 starting places settled based on the way they set up for the final pre-season friendly against Villarreal. That leaves one place up for grabs, with Romain Saiss and Ryan Bennett seemingly competing for a defensive starting birth alongside Willy Boly and Conor Coady. Rui Patricio, Jonny, Joao Moutinho and Raul Jimenez will make their Wolves debuts, but Adama Traore may have to settle for a place on the bench after his late addition to the squad.
Diogo Jota – Wolves top scorer in the Championship last season with a career-high 17 and one of their key attacking players for their return to the Premier League.
Ruben Neves – Narrowly missed out on a World Cup place with Portugal despite playing in the Championship last season – that should tell you all you need to know about his talent.
Joao Moutinho – An incredible coup to get hold of the hugely experienced Portuguese international, who will now partner Neves at the heart of the midfield.
Wolves have lost just one of their seven pre-season friendlies – a 2-1 loss to Derby County at the end of July. They bounced back by beating Villarreal 2-1 last time out, however, coming from behind thanks to Willy Boly and Raul Jimenez’s goals. Other pre-season results included a 1-1 draw with Ajax – Ruben Neves netting from the penalty spot – and a 4-0 win against Young Boys.
Jordan Pickford is available to start, despite not featuring since his World Cup heroics for England. Richarlison and Lucas Digne will make their Everton debuts as Marco Silva kicks off life as Everton manager – his third Premier League club in as many seasons. Mason Holgate is unavailable due to injury but Theo Walcott is fit again.
Cenk Tosun – Scored five times in 14 games for Everton last season, but will hope the new system under Marco Silva better plays to his attacking strength.
Richarlison – Impressed for Marco Silva at Watford last season, to the extent that the Toffees were willing to spend more than £40m on the Brazilian winger.
Gylfi Sigurdsson – An injury-hit first season at Everton brought just six goals and five assists but he could be integral to the Toffees’ attacking play this year.
Everton only won one of their pre-season friendlies – a 22-0 win against Irdning in their opening game. They drew 1-1 with Bury in their following game and then lost their next five: on penalties after a goalless draw with Lille, 1-0 against Porto, 3-0 against Blackburn, 4-1 against Rennes and, last time out, 3-2 at home to Valencia. Cenk Tosun and Michael Keane scored in the defeat to Valencia, but they
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