Everton vs Wolves: Match preview, predicted lineups, quotes, form, injuries and how to watch

When and where to watch Everton vs Wolves

Everton vs Wolves kicks off at 3pm on Monday 26 December.

You can catch all the action from Goodison Park on Amazon Prime via BT TV.

Everton vs Wolves preview

The Premier League is back after an unpredecented mid-season break due to the World Cup. 

A seven-game unbeaten domestic run, including back-to-back wins over West Ham and Southampton, had Everton fans looking up, but since then, Frank Lampard's position has come under serious scrutiny after six defeats from eight, including two heavy losses at Bournemouth in league and cup in the space of four days, with the Toffees failing to score in their last five league matches. 

Wolves meanwhile are finally looking forward to the start of the Julen Lopetegui era in the top flight after getting rid of Bruno Lage at the start of October. The team however sit bottom without a win on the road this season, with their only two league victories this term 1-0 triumphs over fellow strugglers Southampton and Nottingham Forest, the sort of result that would do very nicely for Lopetegui. 

Wolves have also only scored five in their last six league games and the defensive solidity associated with Lage's tenure began to disappear just before the Portuguese was fired, with that fragility at the back continuing since his dismissal as the Black Country side shipped 12 goals in their five subsequent league matches. 

Just one win in seven since Lage's departure - that win over Nottingham Forest - has underlined the size of the task facing Lopetegui, who arrives in the West Midlands having recently been sacked by Sevilla and kicked off his time at Molineux with a 2-0 win over Gillingham on Tuesday to progress to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. 

Everton vs Wolves predicted lineups

Everton (4-3-3): Pickford; Patterson, Mina, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Gueye, Onana; McNeil, Calvert-Lewin, Gray. 

Wolves (4-2-3-1): Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno; Moutinho, Neves; Traore, Nunes, Podence; Guedes.

Everton vs Wolves: Absences, injuries and suspensions

The influential Conor Coady is ineligible to face his parent club, so Yerry Mina is vying with Michael Keane and Mason Holgate for that centre-back spot alongside James Tarkowski, while Jordan Pickford is back after his World Cup exploits.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin could lead the line in place of Neal Maupay after the England international picked up multiple injuries that caused him to miss Everton's trip to Bournemouth immediately before the break.

Andros Townsend is still out with a cruciate ligament injury sustained in March, while James Garner is out until February with a back issue and has yet to start a game for the club since his £15m arrival in the summer. 

Pedro Neto is likely to not return to training until the end of January after suffering an ankle injury at the beginning of October, while Diego Costa is suspended after a red card received against Brentford on 29 October, but Portuguese pair Matheus Nunes and Ruben Neves have returned following the World Cup, with the former eyeing a return to the starting XI. 

Chiquinho and Sasa Kalajdzic (cruciate ligament injuries) are both out for the long term, and Jonny and Boubacar Traore are doubts with a muscle injury and a knock respectively. 

Everton vs Wolves: Last time they met

The last meeting between these sides finished 1-0 to Wolves at Goodison Park in March, as Conor Coady, currently hugely popular on the blue half of Merseyside, scored the winner for his parent club with a brilliant flicked header from Ruben Neves' cross. 

Jose Sa did well to smother efforts from Richarlison and Demarai Gray in the first, before Coady popped up with the decisive goal. 

Richarlison hit the side-netting in search of an equaliser and Jonjoe Kenny received a second yellow after a mistimed challenge on Raul Jimenez as Everton ultimately stayed up under Frank Lampard, while Wolves came 10th in Lage's first - and last - full season at the helm. 

He said what?!

Frank Lampard on Dominic Calvert-Lewin's fitness:

"With Dominic, it's going to be tight for Wolves. He's going to be training over the next couple of days, trying to push himself a bit for match fitness. The injury feels good, which is the best news.

"But the last thing we want to do is go too soon with him. The match fitness, that's the question mark. We've got a lot of games coming up."

Everton vs Wolves: Players to watch

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has endured a miserable season so far for Everton due to injuries and lack of form, but he is the hosts' most likely goal threat when he starts and will be licking his lips at facing a defence low on confidence if he is passed fit to play. 

For Wolves, Ruben Neves' influence in the middle of the park will be vital. Julen Lopetegui will be encouraged by the fact that the 25-year-old came through 90 minutes unscathed against Gillingham and he will have a battle on his hands on Monday against an energetic Toffees midfield comprising Idrissa Gana Gueye, Andre Onana and Alex Iwobi.  

Everton vs Wolves: Key stats

• Wolves did the double over Everton in 2020/21, with Everton returning the favour last season
• Julen Lopetegui is Wolves' ninth permanent managerial appointment since February 2012