WATCH FOR OUR THOUGHTS AND PREDICTIONS AHEAD OF WOLVES V FOREST
TEAM NEWS
Wolves remain without goalkeeper Dan Bentley, who is still nursing an ankle injury in a protective boot, while Ladislav Krejci is edging closer after training on Tuesday but is unlikely to be risked on Wednesday. Matt Doherty, recently sidelined with a knee issue, could return to the matchday squad, and both Toti Gomes and Joao Gomes are available after shaking off knocks from the last outing.
Forest, meanwhile, are still hampered by a lengthy injury list that started under Postecoglou and has carried into Dyche’s tenure, with Chris Wood (knee) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (strain) still sidelined. Their attacking options are further limited by the continued absence of Taiwo Awoniyi, although the forward is nearing a return from a muscle problem, while wide pair Dan Ndoye and Nicolas Dominguez are likely to drop to the bench after being withdrawn at half time in the loss to Brighton. Sean Dyche is hopeful Forest duo Murillo and Morgan Gibbs-White will be fit to feature against WolveS
ROB EDWARDS
Edwards is hopeful that Ladislav Krejci is “not far away” after training on Tuesday but is unlikely to be ready for Wednesday’s game, however, Matt Doherty “might be in position to be involved in the squad” after his recent injury issues.
He also confirmed that both Toti Gomes and Joao Gomes are “fine” after picking up knocks in the last match.
On what he saw in the defeat by Aston Villa that was different to the previous loss to Crystal Palace: “We had a week with a full group, I think there were more connections there. We had more control with and without the ball. Without the ball we tried to keep the game where we wanted it, and then with we were able to have long spells and carry more of a threat as well. There were a lot of things that were better from the previous week.”
On the importance of upcoming home games: “Every game is really important now for us with the position that we are in. That’s really obvious. Points are really important. But we’ve got to give ourselves the best chance of doing that, and that’s with the performance, that’s the bit that we can control a little bit more.”
He added: “Work really hard, try to bring the energy, the intensity and the aggression that we brought on Sunday. A lot of the bravery and good bits of play. There’s something there to build on from a few days ago.”
Edwards gave minutes to younger players such as Tawanda Chirewa and Mateus Mane at Villa because he “wanted real energy” and knows “they can bring that”, adding: “We want to win games of football but I need to be able to assess people quickly and see if they can handle it. We’re going to be losing a few players soon to Afcon, so we want to be able to see who’s going to be able to help and who can give us those options.”
Despite the players being “really flat” after the Villa game, Edwards was able to show them “a lot of good things to build on” and he could “see a belief there that we’re going the right way”.
The Wolves boss also praised new goalkeeping coach Danny Alcock for the qualities he has already brought to the club and is hopeful there “may be one more” person to bring into his backroom staff.
STATS & FACTS
Having won seven consecutive home league games against Nottingham Forest between 1997 and 2008, Wolves have now won just two of their last eight against them (D2 L4). They lost 3-0 in this exact fixture last season.
Four of the six Premier League meetings between Wolves and Nottingham Forest have been drawn, with each side winning once each. Forest’s victory came in this exact fixture in January last season (3-0).
Wolves have won just one of their last 17 evening kick offs (7pm or later) in the Premier League (D4 L12), beating West Ham United 1-0 in April.
Wolves are the only side without a home Premier League win this season, picking up just one point so far (D1 L5). Only three sides have won one point or fewer in their first seven home Premier League games of a season – Birmingham in 2005-06 (1), Sheffield United in 2020-21 (1) and Burnley in 2023-24 (0).
Nottingham Forest are looking to win consecutive away Premier League games for the first time since December/January last season (four in a row). Indeed, Forest have won their last five games (home and away) in the month of December.
Wolves are winless in their last eight home Premier League matches (D2 L6) since winning three in a row in April. They last had a longer winless home run in the top-flight between December 2011 and August 2018 (14 games).
Nottingham Forest lost 3-0 to West Ham in August, who started the day bottom of the table. The last time a team lost two games against sides starting the day 20th in a season was in 2022-23, when both Everton (vs Wolves and Southampton) and Liverpool (vs Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth) did so.
Wolves have a minus 10 goal difference at Molineux in the Premier League this season (GF 6, GA16), despite only facing three more shots than they’ve attempted (66 for, 69 against). Their opponents have a 23% shot conversion at Molineux this season, although Sam Johnstone – who’s played the last three home games – has a far higher home save ratio (65%) than José Sá (17%), who played in the first three.
Wolves manager Rob Edwards took four points from Sean Dyche’s Everton side in the 2023-24 season when he was Luton manager (W1 D1) – Dyche was one of only two managers that Edwards avoided defeat against in both games that campaign, along with Eddie Howe at Newcastle.
Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White netted their third in a 3-0 win at Anfield and could score in consecutive away Premier League appearances for a second time – he did so in December/January last season, scoring against current manager Sean Dyche’s Everton side and then his former club Wolves.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Tim Robinson. Assistants: Richard West, Mark Scholes. Fourth official: Sam Barrott. VAR: Rob Jones. Assistant VAR: Neil Davies.
FORM GUIDE (ALL COMPETITIONS)
HEAD TO HEAD (ALL COMPETITIONS)
