Noni Madueke scored a hat trick to lead Chelsea to a 6-2 win over Wolves at the Molineux Stadium on Sunday, giving Enzo Maresca his first Premier League victory as Blues boss.
Cole Palmer had a goal and set up all three of Madueke’s goals to drive the Blues forward, with Nicolas Jackson also recording a goal and an assist and Pedro Neto cuing up a late Joao Felix goal in the win.
Madueke was booed throughout the game after lamenting Wolverhampton as a town on social media, and he expressed regret for the post after the game and said he understood the boo birds. Easier to say when you’ve scored three at the Molineux.
Wolves never led but were 2-2 at the break as Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen struck in defeat for Gary O’Neil’s 0-0-2 team.
Chelsea were beaten 2-0 by four-time defending champions Manchester City in Week 1 but let loose with goals in Week 2, while Wolves have suffered a pair of multi-goal losses to Big Six sides from the capital. They were beaten 2-0 by presumed title contenders Arsenal in Week 1.
Everbody eats in Enzo’s away attack. Now about the back...
Wolves may struggle at the back this season as evidenced by their now eight goals conceded through 180 minutes, but you have to be able to take advantage of a poor back line and Enzo Maresca did that.
It’s alarming for Wolves how similar all three of Noni Madueke’s goals looked and not just because of Cole Palmer’s status as Madueke’s waiter. Maresca’s possession allowed for the ball to move across the field and there was rarely an answer.
Nicholas Jackson was very good early and could’ve had a hat trick himself on another day, but Maresca will be concerned about how things looked in his back four.
Wolves produced 1.92 xG against Robert Sanchez and the Blues, but some of that can be put down to early-season fixture congestion following the Thursday action versus Servette. Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile watched from the bench after blanking Servette, and Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana were under duress in the first half.
Might something be flipped come Sunday? The Blues have to take advantage of a very winnable run of games, free from top-end challengers, because it gets really grimy in mid-October.
Wolves vs Chelsea player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Wolves vs Chelsea player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Wolves vs Chelsea player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Chelsea head to Servette on Thursday with a 2-0 first leg lead in their Conference League qualifying playoff, then host Crystal Palace when they return to the Premier League at 8:30am ET Sunday.
Wolves host Burnley in the League Cup at 2:30pm ET Wednesday, then visit Nottingham Forest at 10am ET Saturday in the Premier League.
How to watch Wolves vs Chelsea, stream link and start time
Kick off: 9 am ET, Sunday (August 25)
Stadium: Molineux Stadium
Online: Watch live on Peacock
Wolves vs Chelsea live updates — By Nick Mendola
Wolves vs Chelsea final score: 2-6
Nicolas Jackson 2', Cole Palmer 45', Noni Madueke 48', 58', 63', Joao Felix 80'; Matheus Cunha, 28', Jorgen Strand Larsen (45'+5)
Portuguese pair makes it six — Wolves 2-6 Chelsea (80th minute)
A really good goal from a new pair of Blues makes it a half-dozen.
Pedro Neto blazes down the left side and puts the ball on a plate as a late-arriving Joao Felix comes to eat.
It’s a smooth, powerful strike from Felix, and this one is done.
Hat trick complete. Wolves 2-5 Chelsea (63rd minute)
Wolves are bad at the back here, where Enzo Fernandez pokes a loose ball to Palmer.
The England star again defers to Madueke, who again scores from the right side of Sa’s box.
Madueke again! Wolves 2-4 Chelsea (58th minute)
No deflection needed this time.
Moises Caicedo gets the ball to Palmer, who drives forward and again defers to Madueke on his right.
Madueke drives his low shot under Jose Sa. 4-2, 58'.
Chelsea back in front! Wolves 2-3 Chelsea (48th minute)
Palmer slips Noni Madueke into the right side of the box.
Madueke’s hard shot from close range takes a big turn off the leg of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jose Sa doesn’t have a chance.
3-2 to the visitors.
Oh boy. Pedro Neto enters the chat.
An already-fiery affair now gets recent Wolves sale Pedro Neto as part of the Blues for the second half.
He replaces Mykhailo Mudryk, who was very quiet with just 13 touches in 45 minutes.
Halftime — Wolves 2-2 Chelsea
Nicolas Jackson and Matheus Cunha have been the stars of a fabulous half at the Molineux.
Wolves have put five of their eight shots on target and lead in xG, 1.75-0.82.
But Chelsea’s had 61% possession and will feel it has the game-changers on the bench and on the field to outlast the Wolves.
Long leg level the line — Wolves 2-2 Chelsea (45'+5)
Wolves get a late free kick and restore deserved level terms to this fantastic first half.
Jorgen Strand Larsen stabs his long right leg at a cross and pokes it beyond the reach of Sanchez.
Chelsea back on top on fantastic goal — Wolves 1-2 Chelsea (45th minute)
Robert Sanchez sends a long, soaring pass over the Wolves back line toward Nicolas Jackson.
The Senegalese striker uses the outside of his boot to slap his first touch onto the path of Cole Palmer, who finishes with style.
Too cold.
Cunha so close!
A cutback finds Cunha in a great position and he looks well-poised to make it 2-1 to Wolves but a sliding Levi Colwill gets a small piece of the ball, enough to limit the damage to a corner that comes to nothing.
Flare-ups continue after Cunha levels the score! Wolves 1-1 Chelsea (28th minute)
Scintillating playmaking from Rayan Ait-Nouri leads to a powerful Matheus Cunha finish to make it 1-1.
But both goals have now led to physical confrontations between the teams, as Cunha is seen using his hands to make a “keep talking” gesture to Jackson, as the goal scorers are not on good terms.
This isn’t great for sportsmanship but it’s becoming a brilliant watch!
Dangerous Wolves denied by AR’s flag
Strand Larsen feeds Matheus Cunha into the box and the Brazilian beats Robert Sanchez for 1-1.
But the goal never reaches the scoreboard. Strand Larsen was offside when released into the final third.
Early doors! Wolves 0-1 Chelsea (2nd minute)
Noni Madueke fires off a first-minute shot and Jose Sa parries for a corner.
That corner is flicked to the back post and Nicolas Jackson turns his header inside the post.
1-0!
Wolves lineup
Sa, Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Bellegarde, Lemina, J. Gomes, Cunha, Hwang, Strand Larsen
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk, Jackson
Wolves team news, focus
- OUT: Enso Gonzalez (knee), Leon Chiwone (ankle), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee)
Wolves were significantly weakened at both ends of the field this summer, as winger Neto and captain center back Max Kilman (West Ham) left the club for a combined $120 million. Four players have been brought in already, with three of them expected to contribute to the first team right away, but that might be it.
“The club is still not in a place where it’s able to go and free spend on things,” O’Neil said this week. “Would I love to say that center forward over there looks fantastic, and let’s get him in? Of course, but what we’re doing is something very different and we’re trying our best to maximize it.”
Chelsea team news, focus
- OUT: Reece James (thigh), Djordje Petrovic (other), Omari Kellyman (other)
Neto made nine signings during this transfer window when he joined last week, and Joao Felix, who returns to Chelsea after spending the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan there, made it 10 on Wednesday. The first-team squad currently sits at 30 players, with Ben Chilwell also earmarked by Maresca this week for departure before the window closes on Aug. 30.
“I am not saying Raheem is not a good player, but I prefer different kinds of wingers,” Maresca explained this week. “They [Sterling and Ben Chilwell] are training apart. The situation with both of them is quite clear. We have a big squad and it’s impossible to give all of them minutes. If they are looking for minutes it’s better for them to leave. I try to be honest.”
Wolves vs Chelsea prediction
It will be telling whether or not Chelsea press more aggressively against a bottom-half side, or if Maresca wants them to be more measured regardless of opponent. If it’s the former, they’re going to give Wolves some serious problems. Wolves 1-3 Chelsea.