Returning to action on Boxing Day could be a good omen for kick-starting Everton’s bid to beat the drop, as they’ve actually won their last three league games held on this day.
Everton
After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, there was hope that a new campaign would bring around a change in fortunes for Everton. It hasn’t quite worked out that way for Frank Lampard’s side, though, who seemingly find themselves embroiled in another relegation battle on the back of just one win in seven Premier League games before the World Cup break. Returning to action on Boxing Day could be a good omen for kick-starting Everton’s bid to beat the drop, as they’ve actually won their last three league games held on this day.
The visit of a Wolves side in even worse form than themselves might also be a welcome sight for Everton, despite losing both H2Hs versus the West Midlands outfit last season, and a clean sheet may hold the key to maintaining their winning trend on December 26th, given six of Everton’s last seven home league victories came ‘to nil’.
Wolves
A new era dawns for this Wolves side, who prop up the Premier League table, with former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui taking over the Molineux reins, with this his Premier League bow. Lopetegui will become just the 12th Spanish manager to manage in the Premier League. With just one of the previous 11 losing their first game in the top-flight, there is a potential silver lining on the horizon for Wolves, who could record their first three-game winning streak over the Toffees since a run of five wins culminating in February 1960. The first task facing Lopetegui is to end the Wolves’ five-match winless Premier League run, but that is perhaps easier said than done for the lowest scorers in the division, who have just eight goals so far.
Not only would victory lift them off the foot of the table, but it would also see Lopetegui become the first Wolves manager since John Barnwell in November 1978 to win his first top-flight game in charge.
Everton’s Alex Iwobi enjoys facing this opposition as three of his last five Premier League goals have arrived against Wolves. Trying to keep him out will be Wolves stopper Jose Sa, who returns from the World Cup with four Premier League clean sheets to his name this season – he also kept one on his only prior visit to Goodison Park. Wolves haven’t scored a Premier League goal after the hour mark this season.