Wolves vs West Ham preview: Team news, expected lineups, score prediction
West Ham United are in desperate need of a victory as they travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
The pressure on Graham Potter increased again after West Ham collapsed to a 5-1 defeat to Chelsea at the London Stadium, leaving the Hammers bottom of the Premier League after also losing 3-0 to Sunderland.
Karren Brady and David Sullivan have publicly backed Potter to turn this poor form around, but a big week awaits, with trips to Wolves and Nottingham Forest likely to decide his fate.
Before West Ham‘s first cup tie of the season, West Ham Zone brings you the latest team news, predicted lineups and a score prediction.
Form Guide (all competitions)
Wolves: LLLLL
West Ham: LLDWW
Team news
Callum Wilson could make his first start for West Ham since joining this summer, after Niclas Fullkrug disappointed again in the clash with Chelsea.
Wilson has been a substitute in the first two Premier League games, but will likely get a chance to prove himself at Molineux.
Crysencio Summerville is not scheduled to return until mid-September with a hamstring injury.
With increased scrutiny over his midfield selections so far this season, Potter could look to alter his duo, with Andy Irving being given an opportunity next to the experience of Tomas Soucek.
Wolves will be forced to mix up their backline after Toti was sent off at Bournemouth, with Santiago Bueno likely to replace him.
Enso Gonzalez will also miss the tie as he recovers from a knee injury, while Joao Gomes could come out of the starting squad for Andre.
Predicted lineups
Wolves: Johnstone, Doherty, Mosquera, S. Bueno, Hoever, Bellegarde, Andre, H. Bueno, Munetsi, Kalajdzic, Arias
West Ham: Areola, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Walker-Peters, Soucek, Irving, Scarles, Paqueta, Bowen, Wilson
Prediction: Wolves 2-0 West Ham
Ultimately, this game is going to be decided by the quality of coaching rather than the quality on the pitch.
Potter has to win the game to get some form of confidence going in his side after two bruising defeats to start the season.
But Vitor Pereira has proven to be a better manager in his spell at Wolves than the Englishman has at the London Stadium.
Wolves will take promise from their performance at Bournemouth on Saturday despite the defeat, and will look to strike at West Ham while they’re down and deal what could be the final nail in Potter’s coffin in East London.
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