This week reminds us that this season, simply put, is just not that young. We are into the second, yes, the second round of the EFL Cup now, plus Champions League draws come out on Thursday, the summer transfer window closes a week from today and the first international break commences the following week. Yes, we’re getting into the thick of it now, with one match on Tuesday night, West Ham United at Wolverhampton Wanderers, standing out above the rest on the League Cup docket.
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
While yes, both of these teams finished pretty low in the table last season, it is still the most “brand name” match of this round. Although, to be fair, it’s a pretty low hurdle to clear.
Starting Lineup Predictions
West Ham
Mads Hermansen; Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, Nayef Aguerd; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, James Ward-Prowse, Freddie Potts, El-Hadji Malick Diouf; Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen; Nicklas Fullkrug
Wolves
Sam Johnstone; Matt Doherty, Yerson Mosquera, Emmanuel Agbadou; Ki-Jana Hoever, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Joao Gomes, Hugo Bueno; Marshall Munetsi, Jorgan Strand Larsen, Jhon Arias
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