Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea
The Wolves are off to a horrific start this season, and the mood around Molineux Stadium has gone borderline toxic. If there’s one bright spot to their 2025-26 campaign so far, it’s the EFL Cup, as they’re through to the fourth round, following their victories over West Ham United (3-2) and Everton (2-0).
Vitor Pereira’s side, who lost to Burnley 3-2 last time out, is at the bottom of the Premier League table with only two points from the first nine league games, and his team will host Chelsea on Wednesday evening in one of the tournament’s four all-Premier League ties.
Chelsea are here after dispatching Lincoln City 2-1 in the third round. Enzo Maresca’s men are fresh from a 2-1 loss against Sunderland, so they’re planning to bounce back. The Blues are ninth in the English top-flight standings with 14 points.
Learn more about these two teams, courtesy of today’s SBOTOP preview.
Talking Points
Wolves find it difficult to stay positive
The Wolves were close to getting a positive result last time out against Burnley. Vitor Pereira’s men found themselves down by two goals after an early brace by Zian Flemming, but they fought back via goals from Jorgen Strand Larsen and Marshall Munetsi to make it 2-2 at the end of the first half. It looked like both sides would share the spoils until Lyle Foster scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time, handing the Wolves another league loss. It is the fourth game the Wolves have conceded in the late stages.
According to reports, the Molineux Stadium turned contentious after the whistle, as Pereira and Strand Larsen exchanged heated discussions in front of the South Bank, where fans were chanting “sacked in the morning” at their manager.
With so much to play for this Wednesday, the Wolves are expected to name a strong side against Chelsea. Leon Chiwome (knee) is the only notable absentee. Hwang Hee-Chan, Joao Gomes, and Tolu Arokodare are vying for spots in the starting XI.
Strand Larsen is the team’s leading scorer with three goals across all competitions so far this term. The Norwegian striker bagged a brace in their first EFL Cup game against West Ham United, making him the biggest threat in the final third of the pitch.
Garnacho finally gets on board for Chelsea
Many questioned Enzo Maresca for starting Alejandro Garnacho against Sunderland after Jamie Gittens’ Man of the Match performance against Ajax, but the Argentine winger justified the selection very quickly.
Garnacho scored in the fourth minute against the Black Cats with a left-footed strike through the legs of Robin Roefs, and he remained a threat after his goal until Estevao replaced him near the hour mark.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, they couldn’t secure the win, as Chemsdine Talbi scored the late winner after Wilson Isidor’s 22nd-minute goal.
Still, this shouldn’t erase the fact that Garnacho did well. After opening his scoring account with the Blues, the former Manchester United forward could start again versus the Wolves.
History
Chelsea have won the EFL Cup five times, with their last success in 2015. On the other hand, the Wolves have won the EFL Cup twice, with their last triumph in 1980.
The last two encounters between these two sides have brought wins for the Blues, including a 6-2 scoreline in their last matchup at Molineux in the Premier League in August 2024. Chelsea also won 3-1 in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge in January 2025.
Chelsea won the Europa Conference League last season, making them the first club to win all four main UEFA competitions. On the other hand, the Wolves’ last significant trophy was winning the 2017-18 EFL Championship.
Betting Tip
The EFL Cup 2025 odds back Chelsea to advance to the quarter-finals, considering the two teams’ recent form and the massive gap between them in the Premier League standings. The Blues are 1.65 favourites to win, while the Wolves are 4.24 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.83 in the 1X2 market.
Wolves are capable of upsetting Chelsea on any given night, but it won’t likely be this Wednesday. However, at least the fans in Molineux will get their fair share of EFL Cup 2025 highlights. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also add Over 2.75 at 1.76, Over 3.00 at 2.00, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.56 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-1 in favour of Chelsea – the result of their previous league meeting – is pegged at a mouthwatering 11.50 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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