Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Gillingham Match Analysis & Prediction
20/12/2022 10:45 pm
Wolverhampton Wanderers return to competitive action on Tuesday as Julen Lopetegui takes charge of his first official match in the EFL Cup fourth-round tie with Gillingham.
At a time when the hosts are sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table, Gillingham occupy the same position in League Two with different amounts of matches played and points tally.
Sitting four points adrift of safety in the top flight, Wolves and Julen Lopetegui have a lot to be concerned with going forward, yet this encounter with Gillingham feels like the start of a new era.
If reports are to be believed, Lopetegui intends to go on a signing spree in January with some high-profile names in line to arrive at Molineux, seemingly ripping up the process of buying younger players with potential to sell for a profit in later years.
The Wanderers have an important and testing restart in equal measure. After Tuesday’s game, encounters with Everton, Manchester United and Aston Villa loom before a trip to Liverpool in the FA Cup.
However, Lopetegui will at least be focused, at the moment, on trying to move his side through to their first EFL Cup quarter-finals for 27 years.
In the build-up to this game, Wolves have played Empoli and Cadiz in friendlies, drawing with the Italian side before coming through a thriller with the La Liga side by a 4-3 scoreline.
Meanwhile, Neil Harris will view this encounter as one that features down the list of the club’s priorities at a time when Gillingham are battling to remain in the EFL.
The Gills currently sit in last place in the fourth tier, although with a game in hand on some of the teams above them and being just one point adrift of 21st position.
However, Gillingham’s squad are well refreshed after a couple of postponements, and they will view this as an opportunity to potentially set up a money-spinning last-eight tie.
Harris’ side are already in that position having been drawn at home to Leicester City in the FA Cup third round, something which arguably takes the pressure off this contest given that they know extra income is already coming through the door.
Gillingham also showed in the last round that they are capable of overcoming Premier League opposition on away territory, coming from behind to ultimately beat Brentford in a penalty shootout.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Gillingham Head to head
These two teams have previously met on 10 occasions in two competitions, where Wolves have claimed five victories while Gillingham have won three, and they have drawn twice. Gillingham have scored eight goals and conceded 22 in the process.
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22/03/2003Wolverhampton Wanderers6Gillingham0Championship
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30/10/2004Gillingham1Wolverhampton Wanderers0Championship
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19/02/2005Wolverhampton Wanderers2Gillingham2Championship
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10/08/2013Wolverhampton Wanderers4Gillingham0League One
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03/01/2014Gillingham1Wolverhampton Wanderers0League One
Wolverhampton Wanderers Team News
Wolves first-choice goalkeeper Jose Sa could get the nod over Matija Sarkic in goal having failed to earn any game time with Portugal at the World Cup.
Matheus Nunes and Ruben Neves may start among the replacements, giving opportunities to Joe Hodge and Boubacar Traore, with Diego Costa starting ahead of Raul Jimenes in attack.
Wolverhampton Wanderers's Last 5 Matches
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05/11/2022Wolverhampton Wanderers2Brighton & Hove Albion3Premier League
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09/11/2022Wolverhampton Wanderers1Leeds United0League Cup
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12/11/2022Wolverhampton Wanderers0Arsenal2Premier League
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09/12/2022Wolverhampton Wanderers1Empoli1Club Friendlies
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14/12/2022Cadiz3Wolverhampton Wanderers4Club Friendlies
Gillingham Team News
After a 12-day gap, Harris may be willing to start with the Gillingham XI that begun the 3-2 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup.
However, after Scott Kashket and Alex MacDonald each came off the substitutes’ bench to provide an assist in that game, both are pushing for chances in the final third.
Gillingham's Last 5 Matches
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19/11/2022Newport County2Gillingham0League Two
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22/11/2022Crawley Town0Gillingham0League Two
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26/11/2022Dagenham & Redbridge1Gillingham1FA Cup
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03/12/2022Gillingham0Salford City3League Two
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08/12/2022Gillingham3Dagenham & Redbridge2FA Cup
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Gillingham: Odds and Predictions
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