In the second round of the EFL Cup, Wolverhampton Wanderers will play

Burnley at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday night. The team is still looking for 

their first victory of the 2024-25 campaign.

The visitors have won two and lost one of their first three Championship games, while the hosts have lost both of their opening two games in the current Premier League season.

Following their first return to the top league since 2011-12, Wolves had a mixed experience in the six seasons following their promotion as Championship winners to the Premier League in 2017-18.

They performed admirably in their first two seasons back in the top division of English football, placing seventh in 2018-19 and

2019-20, respectively, but they haven’t been able to duplicate that performance in the following years.

In the years that have passed, Wolves have placed 13th, 10th, engaged in a relegation struggle in 2022-23, finishing barely seven points above the drop zone in 13th, and now 14th.

After Julen Lopetegui left the team due to financial difficulties, Gary O’Neil took over just a few days before the 2023-24 season began, and as the team was sitting in 10th place on matchday 29, he looked poised to lead them to a comfortable top-half finish.

O’Neil is hoping for a top-half finish this year for the first time since 2021-22 after Wolves had a very bad conclusion to the season, losing eight of their last 12 games and dropping to 14th in the standings.

Wolves’ 2024-25 campaign got off to a less than ideal start when they lost 2-0 to Arsenal in their first game and then humiliatingly 6-2 to Chelsea at home.

O’Neil will be eager for his team to defeat Burnley, whom Wolves have only defeated once in the previous nine meetings, in order to record their first victory of the new season following those two outcomes.

With 16 players having left the club already this transfer window and rumors of additional departures before the deadline, Burnley is in a bad situation going into this match. Scott Parker’s team has a worrisome lack of depth in their squad.

After defeating Luton Town 4-1 and Cardiff

City 5-0 in Parker’s first two games as manager, Burnley’s unbeaten start to the Championship season came to an end against Sunderland. The team’s goal is to return to the Premier League following their relegation from previous year.

Parker will be hopeful that Burnley can resolve their depth concerns in the team over the remaining days of the transfer window. The new manager’s goal is to get back to winning ways on Wednesday when Burnley takes on Wolves.