Everton and Wolves will square up this Monday in one of the Boxing Day fixtures of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Venue: Goodison Park (Liverpool)
Key Statistics
Everton have only one win in their last seven Premier League (PL) games.
They have won their last three league games held on Boxing Day.
They have lost their last three competitive games.
Everton’s Alex Iwobi enjoys facing this opposition as three of his last five PL goals have arrived against Wolves.
Wolves haven’t scored a PL goal after the hour mark this season.
The visitors are winless in their last five league games (D1, L4).
They have not kept a clean sheet in their last five Premier League games.
Head to head
Wolves have won the last two head-to-head meetings between both sides.
But overall, in the Premier League, Everton have six wins over Wolves in 16 meetings. Wolves have five wins and five draws.
Latest performances in all competitions
Everton: W-W-L-L-L
Wolves: W-W-D-L-W
Everton
After over a month without competitive action, Everton return to Premier League action looking to get back to winning ways and get their dwindling season back on track.
The Toffees narrowly avoided relegation last season and would have hoped that a new campaign would bring around a change in fortunes for them. But it hasn’t worked out that way for Frank Lampard’s side, though, as they find themselves embroiled in another relegation battle on the back of just one win in seven Premier League (PL) games before the World Cup break (D1, L5).
However, returning to action on Boxing Day could be a good omen for kick-starting Everton’s bid to beat the drop, as they’ve won their last three league games held on this day.
The visit of a Wolves side in even worse form than themselves might also be a welcome sight for Everton, despite losing both H2Hs versus the West Midlands outfit last season.
Their wins over Western Sydney Wanderers and Celtic in the mid-season friendlies will also encourage them ahead of this game.
Possible Everton starting line-up
Jordan Pickford, Nathan Patterson, Mason Holgate, James Tarkowski, Vitali Mykolenko, Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye, Anthony Gordon, Alex Iwobi, Demarai Gray, Dwight McNeil.
Injured: Conor Coady, James Garner, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Andros Townsend
Doubtful: Ben Godfrey
Suspended: None
Wolves
Wolves will look to make it two wins in two competitive games under Julen Lopetegui when they face Everton on Monday.
The West Midlands club began life under the former Sevilla and Real Madrid coach with an impressive 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Gillingham last time. That win made it three games without defeat for Wolves, who played two friendly matches during the break (W1, D1).
Lopetegui becomes just the 12th Spanish manager to manage in the PL. However, with just one of the previous 11 losing their first game in the top-flight, there is a potential silver lining on the horizon for Wolves, who could record their first three-game winning streak over the Toffees since a run of five wins culminating in February 1960.
But Lopetegui’s first task is to end Wolves’ five-match winless PL run (D1, L4), but that is easier said than done for the lowest scorers in the division, who have just eight goals so far.
Not only would victory lift them off the foot of the table, but it would also see Lopetegui become the first Wolves manager since John Barnwell in November 1978 to win his first top-flight game in charge.
Possible Wolves starting line-up
Jose Sa, Nélson Semedo, Nathan Collins, Max Kilman, Hugo Bueno, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Goncalo Guedes, Diego Costa, Daniel Podence.
Injured: Pedro Neto
Doubtful: Jonny, Boubacar Traore
Suspended: None
Odds
| Everton to win | Draw | Wolves to win | |
| Odds | 2.37 | 3.25 | 3.10 |
| Probability (%) | 40 | 29 | 31 |
Prediction
Everton 1-3 Wolves
