**Everton and Wolves are ready for a proper cup scrap** — two sides hungry for silverware in a Carabao Cup third-round clash that's got all the makings of a tight, scrappy affair. 🏆

Everton's recent form is steady but unspectacular (two wins, three draws), while Wolves are slightly sharper on paper with three wins in their last five. The head-to-head is basically a coin flip — 8 wins apiece in their last 25 meetings — so expect this to go down to the wire.

Key storylines:

- **Wolves are seriously depleted** in defense with Trippier, Mosquera, Bellegarde, and Saïd all out — that's a proper injury crisis
- **Everton's midfield** will lean on K. Dewsbury-Hall and H. Armstrong to control tempo and protect a makeshift backline
- **Attack quality** could be the differentiator — B. Johnson leads the Everton line against a Wolves side stretched thin at the back

Expected lineups:

- **Everton**: J. Pickford, J. Tarkowski, V. Mykolenko, M. Röhl, J. Branthwaite, K. Dewsbury-Hall, H. Armstrong, T. Barry, B. Johnson
- **Wolverhampton**: J. Sá, N. Djiga, T. Gomes, L. Krejčí, G. Konan, F. López, André, M. Mané, A. Armstrong

Prediction:

**Everton 2-1 Wolverhampton** — Wolves' injury toll tips the scales, and the Toffees take advantage at home. ⚽