Everton vs Wolves Prediction & Betting Tips (16 September)

Everton host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Wednesday 16 September 2026 in the third round of the EFL Cup, a fixture that carries a painful sense of déjà vu for the Toffees. This is the second consecutive season the two sides have been paired at this stage of the competition, and Everton will be out for revenge after slipping to a 2-0 defeat at Molineux last September. David Moyes' men come into the tie in stubborn but competitive form: they rescued a dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester United last weekend thanks to debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles' stoppage-time equaliser, and shared a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth before that. The Blues booked their place in round three by thrashing Preston North End 4-0, and with European odds of around 1.70 for a home win, 3.80 for the draw and 5.00 for the visitors, the bookmakers make Everton clear favourites to progress.

Wolves arrive on Merseyside as a Championship side for the first time in eight years following their Premier League relegation, with Cesar Peixoto attempting to rebuild a squad anchored by the returning Raul Jimenez, Marshall Munetsi, André and Tolu Arokodare. Their league campaign has been bumpy: after a 2-2 opening-night draw with Blackburn at Molineux, in which Jimenez converted a stoppage-time penalty on his emotional return to the club, they were beaten 4-2 at West Ham despite twice threatening a comeback. Wolves did show their cup pedigree with a professional 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday in round two, but inconsistency at the back has been a recurring theme for Peixoto's new-look 2026/27 squad.

Squad news and selection will be central to the outcome. Everton's 2026/27 group blends experienced spine players such as Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaliy Mykolenko with creative talents like Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and deadline-day addition Maitland-Niles, while Thierno Barry and Tyrique George offer genuine goal threat. Moyes hinted he will make changes, but his fringe players produced a statement performance in the rout of Preston. Wolves, meanwhile, may lean on cup specialists Jimenez and Munetsi, with Peixoto likely to rotate his Championship regulars after a demanding schedule that included the midweek cup tie and back-to-back league defeats and draws since the opening weekend.

Taking everything into account, Everton's superior quality, home advantage and momentum make them strong favourites to avenge last season's exit. Wolves have shown flashes of attacking threat but have conceded too freely against organised sides, and a trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium is a significant step up in class. We expect the Toffees to control possession, exploit the channels through Grealish and Barry, and keep a clean sheet against a Championship attack. Our prediction is Everton 3-0 Wolves, a result that would send Moyes' men into the fourth round with confidence restored and give the home fans a night to remember at their new stad