Ipswich Town vs Wolverhampton Wanderers Prediction: Wolves beat Blackpool 5-0 to set up this game

Ipswich Town will welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers at Portman Road Stadium in Round 3 of the EFL Cup. Wolves beat Blackpool 5-0 to set up this game. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

Ipswich has had success in the past with winning a top-flight title and FA Cup, but they have yet to win the EFL Cup. However, based on their strong performance so far this season, Kieran McKenna's team could potentially surprise a few teams in this year's competition. They had a comfortable 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers in the first round and then faced Reading, who are currently facing difficulties. Ipswich came close to winning in normal time, but Reading managed to equalize in the 87th minute. However, Reading missed three of their penalties in the shootout, allowing Ipswich to progress.

While aiming for success in the EFL Cup, Ipswich is also on track for back-to-back promotions as they have had a remarkable start to their return to the Championship. Their winning streak extended to five games with a thrilling 4-3 win over Blackburn Rovers. They currently have 21 points from a possible 24 and are tied at the top of the league table with Leicester City, although they are behind on goal difference. Furthermore, Ipswich has the joint-best attacking record in the division, having scored 17 goals, the same as Norwich City.

It is possible for Ipswich to reach the fourth round of the EFL Cup, something they haven't achieved since the 2010-2011 season when they reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by Arsenal. However, their recent defensive record at home is not very reassuring, as they have conceded nine goals in their last three games at Portman Road.

Slicker; Clarke, Woolfenden, Baggott, Williams; Evans, Luongo; Hutchinson, Chaplin, Broadhead; Ladapo

Despite playing with only 10 men due to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's red card, Wolves took the lead against Luton Town with a powerful strike from Pedro Neto. However, they were left frustrated by a controversial penalty decision that allowed Luton to equalize. Wolves' head coach, O'Neil, criticized the decision and expressed his disappointment with the team's lack of wins in the Premier League this season. Nonetheless, Wolves have had success in the EFL Cup and have a strong record against lower-league teams. In previous encounters with Ipswich, Wolves secured two 1-0 victories, leaving their opponents goalless. Nevertheless, Ipswich's last win against Wolves dates back to November 2014.

Bentley; Doherty, Toti, Kilman, Bueno; Sarabia, Traore, Gomes, Doyle; Silva, Kalajdzic

Ipswich, in good form, will present a tougher challenge for Wolves compared to the leaky Blackpool. Wolves were fortunate to secure a draw against Luton and must not underestimate their Championship opponents. Despite Ipswich's strong attacking record at home, they have been conceding goals frequently at Portman Road. As a result, the match may potentially be decided by a penalty shootout, where Ipswich's recent success in shootouts could cause an upset. We expect more than 2.5 goals in the game.