Chelsea vs Wolves Report

Scorers: Adarabioyo 24’, Cucurella 60’, Madueke 66’; Doherty 45+5’

Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four after a commanding 3-1 victory against relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are still searching for their first clean sheet in London since February 2022.

Chelsea Take Early Control

Despite their recent struggles, Chelsea came out firing, with talisman Cole Palmer – declared fit to start – making his presence felt early. In the 12th minute, Palmer curled a shot narrowly wide before forcing José Sá into a low save from inside the box. Moments later, a defensive mix-up almost cost Wolves dearly. Trevoh Chalobah, freshly recalled from his loan, launched a long ball forward that Matt Doherty inadvertently headed past his own goalkeeper, Sá. The Irish defender recovered to concede a corner just as Pedro Neto, a former Wolves winger, closed in.

The resulting corner proved decisive. Neto’s delivery was headed out by Jørgen Strand Larsen, only for Reece James to fire a driven shot towards goal. Tosin Adarabioyo reacted quickest, calmly converting from close range. After a brief VAR review, the goal was allowed to stand, giving Chelsea a deserved lead.

Wolves Strike Back Before Half-Time

Wolves gradually found their rhythm and equalised just before the break. A corner from Matheus Cunha was mishandled by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, leaving Doherty to bundle the ball home. The leveller was a blow to Chelsea, who had dominated possession throughout the first half.

Chelsea Seal the Win in the Second Half

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca must have demanded more from his side during the interval, and they responded emphatically. Just before the hour mark, Noni Madueke delivered a pinpoint cross that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall flicked into Marc Cucurella’s path. Despite losing his balance, Cucurella managed to guide the ball past Sá to restore Chelsea’s lead.

The Blues extended their advantage shortly after. Following a foul on Nicolas Jackson by Rayan Aït-Nouri, Palmer’s expertly delivered free-kick was headed across goal by Chalobah, with Madueke on hand to apply the finishing touch. Wolves, who have now conceded 19 goals from set-pieces this season, responded with a triple substitution from manager Vítor Pereira, but it was too late to alter the outcome.

Chelsea thought they had added a fourth when Jackson found the net, but his effort was ruled offside. The hosts comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to leapfrog Newcastle United and Manchester City in the league table.

Mixed Takeaways for Both Sides

While Chelsea celebrated the victory, their defensive frailty remains a concern, with just one clean sheet in their last 12 home league games. Next up, they face a tough away trip to Manchester City on Saturday.

Wolves, meanwhile, remain precariously close to the drop zone, sitting above the bottom three on goal difference alone. They’ll look to bounce back when they host Arsenal on the same day.

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Chelsea v Wolves, 2024/25 | Premier League