Both clubs arrive at Molineux on Tuesday night carrying the bruise of a weekend loss, and the numbers behind this Championship fixture tell a story that stretches back more than a decade.

Where they stand in the table

Cesar Peixoto's Wolves sit fifth after back-to-back wins gave way to a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough. Three points separate them from the automatic promotion places, and a home win would reinforce their credentials as genuine contenders.

Bolton arrive in 17th, three points above the relegation zone. They had won two on the bounce before Stoke beat them 2-1 at the University of Bolton Stadium at the weekend, and Steven Schumacher's side need a response on the road.

Historical head-to-head

Tuesday's match will be the first league meeting between these two clubs since 2017-18, when Wolves swept the board in the Championship. That season the aggregate score across both fixtures read 9-1 in Wolves' favour, a margin that underlines the scale of the task facing Bolton historically.

Since Bolton won 3-2 at Molineux in the Premier League back in March 2012 under Owen Coyle, they have not claimed a league victory in four visits to Wolves, drawing two and losing two.

Wolves' home form and a notable weakness

Wolves have won their last two home league games but have not won three in a row at Molineux since April 2025 under Vitor Pereira. Tuesday offers the chance to extend that run and build pressure on the sides above them.

One number will encourage Bolton, however. Wolves are winless in their last six league games against newly promoted sides, picking up only two draws and suffering four defeats. That run is their worst against promoted opposition since a seven-game sequence without a win that stretched from August 1984 to October 1985. Bolton, who came up last season, qualify as exactly the kind of opponent that has been exploiting that vulnerability.

Bolton's away record in focus

The Trotters' 4-3 victory at Norwich earlier in the campaign provided one of the Championship's more dramatic scorelines this season, and the club are now seeking back-to-back away league wins for the first time since October 2024. Finding that consistency on the road would do much to ease the anxiety around their league position.

What to watch

The key tactical question is whether Bolton can turn Wolves' unease against promoted sides into something concrete. Peixoto's team will look to their home record for confidence, but the stats suggest their opponents carry a genuine threat beyond what their league position implies. A Wolves win would cement their place in the top six conversation; a Bolton result would represent a significant statement about their capacity to survive, and perhaps more, in the second tier.

Kick-off at Molineux is at 20:00 on Tuesday.

Frequently asked

When do Wolves play Bolton Wanderers in the Championship?
Wolves host Bolton Wanderers at Molineux on Tuesday night, with kick-off at 20:00.
What is Bolton Wanderers' league position this season?
Bolton start Tuesday's game in 17th place in the Championship, three points above the relegation zone.
When did Wolves last beat Bolton Wanderers?
The two clubs last met in the league in 2017-18, when Wolves won both fixtures in the Championship with an aggregate score of 9-1.