Round two of the EFL Cup commences this week, and with that, we welcome in some of the bigger clubs. The second round features two all-Premier League ties in West Ham United at Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth at Brentford FC. Right now we focus on the first one, with five availability concerns to cover here: George Earthy, Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme for the Irons, Leon Chiwome and Toti Antonio Gomes for Wolves.
EFL Cup 2nd Round FYIs
West Ham United at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Kick: Tues. Aug. 26, 2025, 7:30pm
Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Team News Starting Lineup Predictions
Team News for Both Sides
We start with Earthy, who is touch-and-go for this one with the ankle injury that he suffered in the summer.
“George trained with the group today, so he was the only one (who has seen his status change),” Hammers boss Graham Potter said on Thursday, ahead of the Friday night humiliation at the hands of Chelsea.
Summerville (hamstring injury) remains out until well after the September internationals. Guilherme remains sidelined for the longer-term with a broken collarbone.
Shifting gears to Wolves, Toti Gomes was red-carded on the weekend, and now faces a suspension.
Chiwome remains out of contention, as a long term knee injury absentee.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter