watch dazzling Dave & magic moss talk about wolves upcoming game against Everton
team news
Wolves head coach Julen Lopetegui has to decide whether to stick with Dan Bentley in goal or restore Jose Sa to the starting line-up. Long-term injury absentees Sasa Kalajdzic and Chiquinho remain out.
Everton boss Sean Dyche hopes to have Dominic Calvert-Lewin available despite him going off at half-time against Manchester City with a groin problem. Vitalii Mykolenko is expected to remain out with a thigh injury and Conor Coady is ineligible to face his parent club.
JULEN LOPETEGUI
Julen Lopetegui has spoken to the media before of Wolves’ final home game of the season against Everton.
Here are the main lines from his news conference:
Asked if he has chosen between goalkeepers Jose Sa and Dan Bentley, he said: “I have decided but I am not saying. Good try.”
Insisting Wolves will be fighting for points despite being safe already: “If we were fighting to get out, we would want other teams to do well. Saturday is a chance for us to finish well in front of our fans.”
On whether he thought Wolves would be in this position ahead of his first game in charge against Everton on Boxing Day when they were bottom: “It seems a long time ago. At that time, it was difficult to imagine we are going to be out three games before.”
On the future of Ryan Giles, who spent the season on loan at Middlesbrough: “We are not going to talk now about next season. We will see what players stay with us.”
MATCH FACTS & STATS
Head-to-head
- The three successive league victories Wolves have secured against Everton is as many as they managed in their first 14 Premier League encounters.
- Everton are in danger of losing at Molineux in consecutive league seasons for the first time since 1977-78 to 1978-79.
- Wolves won the reverse fixture 2-1 on Boxing Day in Julen Lopetegui’s first league match in charge.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Only Manchester City and Manchester United have won more league games at home in 2023 than the seven by Wolves.
- Wolves have kept a clean sheet in all nine of their league wins at Molineux this campaign.
- Their overall tally of 10 clean sheets at home in 2022-23 is bettered only by Manchester United.
- They have become only the fourth team to be bottom of the Premier League table on Christmas Day and avoid relegation, emulating West Brom (2004-05), Sunderland (2013-14) and Leicester City (2014-15).
- Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence are their joint-top scorers in the league with just six goals each. No other Wolves player has scored more than twice so far this season.
- Their tally of 30 goals is the lowest in the top flight this season.
Everton
- Everton have not been relegated from the top flight since 1951. The Toffees have been in the top division since 1954-55, the longest active run after Arsenal.
- The 5-1 win over Brighton was only their second victory in 18 away league games in 2022-23. Those five goals account for 29% of the total they have scored away this season.
- They are aiming to win consecutive away matches for the first time since April to May 2021 under Carlo Ancelotti.
- The Blues have won their final away league fixture in just one of the past seven seasons, losing 5-0 to Manchester City and 5-1 to Arsenal in the two most recent campaigns.
- Everton have conceded just two goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, the fewest of any top-flight side.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: David Coote. Assistants: Simon Bennett, Timothy Wood. Fourth official: James Linington. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Wade Smith.
MATCH INFO
The match will kick off at Molineux at 3pm on Saturday20th May. This fixture will not be shown live on UK television.