Wolves Vs Burnley

Wolverhampton Wanderers will welcome Burnley to Molineux Stadium on Wednesday evening for a second-round EFL Cup clash, still searching for their first victory of the 2024-25 season.

The hosts, Wolves, have struggled in their opening two Premier League matches, suffering defeats in both, while Burnley, their visitors, have experienced a mixed start to their Championship campaign with two wins and one loss from their initial three fixtures.

Match Preview

Wolverhampton Wanderers, managed by Gary O'Neil, will face Burnley in a bid to turn their season around. The match will be held on August 17, 2024, at Molineux Stadium.

Since their promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions in the 2017-18 season, Wolves have had a rollercoaster journey. Their return to the top flight marked their first appearance in the Premier League since the 2011-12 season.

Wolves enjoyed a promising start, finishing seventh in both of their first two Premier League seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20). However, their performance has since declined. They finished 13th in 2020-21, 10th in 2021-22, and narrowly avoided relegation in the 2022-23 season, ending just seven points above the drop zone in 13th place. Last season, they slipped further, finishing 14th.

Gary O'Neil took over the managerial reins just days before the start of the 2023-24 season, following Julen Lopetegui's departure due to financial disagreements. Under O'Neil, Wolves appeared to be on track for a comfortable top-half finish, occupying 10th place on matchday 29. However, a disastrous end to the season saw them lose eight of their final 12 games, resulting in a 14th-place finish. This season, O'Neil is eager to lead the team back into the top half of the table, a feat they haven’t achieved since the 2021-22 season.

The 2024-25 season has begun poorly for Wolves, with a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal followed by a disheartening 6-2 loss at home to Chelsea. O'Neil will be eager for his team to secure their first win of the new season against Burnley, a team they have only beaten once in their last nine encounters.

Burnley, managed by Scott Parker, are entering the match under challenging circumstances. The club has seen 16 players leave during the current transfer window, with speculation suggesting further departures before the transfer deadline. This has resulted in a significant lack of squad depth, a problem that was evident in their recent 1-0 loss to Sunderland. In that match, Burnley had to include two goalkeepers and three young players on a reduced bench of just seven, while central defender Luke McNally was moved forward in a bid to equalize.

This defeat to Sunderland ended Burnley's perfect start to the Championship season. They had previously secured impressive victories over Luton Town (4-1) and Cardiff City (5-0) under Parker's management. The strong start was part of their aim to return to the Premier League after being relegated last season.

Parker will be hoping to address the squad depth issues in the remaining days of the transfer window, while aiming to return to winning ways against Wolves on Wednesday. The match presents a crucial opportunity for both teams to regain momentum and make a statement in their respective campaigns.