Wolverhampton Wanderers play host to Everton on Sunday afternoon realistically requiring all three points to retain their hold of sixth position in the Premier League table.
Meanwhile, despite registering eight points from five games since the resumption, the Toffees remain in the bottom half of the standings.
Match preview
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In the space of a week, Wolverhampton Wanderers have gone from a club who were challenging for a Champions League spot to a team who must now improve just to gain a place in the Europa League.
Two poor performances against Arsenal and Sheffield United have gifted the momentum to their nearest rivals in the race for the top six, while Nuno's team selections and use of substitutions have started to frustrate supporters.
The Portuguese made just one alteration against the Blades on Wednesday night, a rare occurrence for any manager since the enforced break, and it subsequently contributed to his tiring side conceding a potentially-crucial 93rd-minute winner.
Wolves have also barely laid a glove on either of their last two opponents, and it leaves Nuno's close-knit group of players needing to produce a positive response this weekend.
While victory would see them stay in sixth place, a third successive defeat could result in Wolves dropping down to eighth position.
They go up against opponents in Everton who deservedly defeated them in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park, a result which had suggested that the teams were on contrasting trajectories.
However, after a season of upheaval at Goodison Park, most Toffees fans will feel that they are making progress under Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the next campaign.
Although they have recently failed to defeat Tottenham Hotspur or Southampton, a seven-point haul from their previous three outings gave supporters reasons to be optimistic for the future.
Now sitting seven points adrift of Wolves, Ancelotti is likely to instruct his players to go on the offensive this weekend as they look to make a late bid for seventh.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form: DWWWLL
Everton Premier League form: LDWWLD
Team News
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Having sustained another issue with his shoulder in midweek, winger Adama Traore may drop down to the substitutes' bench.
Although Leander Dendoncker is likely to come back into the team, Pedro Neto is another alternative providing that he has recovered from a knock.
While Mason Holgate is expected to return to the Everton squad, the Englishman could have to settle for a spot among the replacements.
Andre Gomes will be assessed after sustaining a knock to his ankle, but Gylfi Sigurdsson is likely to be handed a recall to the starting lineup.
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Patricio; Boly, Coady, Saiss; Doherty, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny; Jota, Jimenez
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne; Walcott, Davies, Sigurdsson, Gordon; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin
We say: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Everton
With both teams having failed to win either of their last two fixtures, we feel that their respective runs could continue this weekend. Although Wolves have home advantage, Everton possess enough quality in the final third to earn at least a share of the spoils.
Darren Plant
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Wolverhampton Wanderers win with a probability of 43.81%. A win for Everton had a probability of 29.23% and a draw had a probability of 27%.
The most likely scoreline for a Wolverhampton Wanderers win was 1-0 with a probability of 11.91%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (8.77%) and 2-0 (8.19%). The likeliest Everton win was 0-1 (9.28%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (12.75%). The actual scoreline of 3-0 was predicted with a 3.8% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted that Wolverhampton Wanderers would win this match.
