MATCH REPORT: Wolves condemn misfiring Chelsea to fourth consecutive away defeat

There was to be no festive reprieve for Chelsea as they suffered their fourth league defeat on the bounce, falling 2-1 to Wolves. As impressive and determined as Wolves were, and they were, the Blues were, for the most part, the architects of their own downfall.

Goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty put the game beyond Chelsea, with Christopher Nkunku’s late finish serving as nothing more than consolation. Having made a strong start to the game, the visitors’ fortunes appeared to turn on a missed opportunity on the half-hour mark when Raheem Sterling failed to convert a gilt-edged one-on-one. 

There were openings in the first 10 minutes, the best of which fell to Armando Broja. The Albanian deceived Toti with a delightful cut-back but could not get his shot away before Lemina came sliding in; the Gabonese celebrating the challenge as if it were a last-minute winner. Meanwhile Broja failed to sort his feet out quickly enough when Malo Gusto flashed in a cross from the right. 

Summer signing Christopher Nkunku’s return to fitness is a welcome boost to Mauricio Pochettino’s injury-hit Chelsea. The Frenchman featured in the League Cup in midweek and would have been desperate to enter the fray when he watched an unmarked Nicolas Jackson spurn a golden opportunity to break the deadlock, failing to bring down a deft Raheem Sterling through-ball.  

And it was the experienced Sterling who was the visitors’ stand-out performer in the first 45 minutes, earning a free-kick just outside the box having drawn Lemina into a desperate last-ditch challenge. Although Sterling fired the set-piece well over, it was the opportunity he missed moments later that will haunt him. Having dispossessed a disorientated Joao Gomes inside Wolves’ half, Sterling sprinted towards goal; with only the keeper to beat, he opted to go alone, instead of passing to one of two blue shirts alongside him, but could not slide the ball past a spreadeagled Jose Sa. He should have done better. 

Chelsea’s profligacy allowed the hosts back into the game and they responded with a flurry of set pieces and a chance in-form Hwang Hee Chan could only snatch at. Moments of carelessness from Sa and Cunha could have gifted Chelsea the lead in the dying moments of the half but David Coote blew his whistle before that could happen. 

It is a sign of the self-belief Gary O’Neill has instilled within his charges that Wolves emerged from the interval with not a trace of fear. A deflected Gomes strike led to a series of corners, none of which were fully dealt with and, having seen an unmarked Toti sting the gloves of Dorde Petrovic moments earlier, the two-time European champions’ frailties were finally breached. 

It was the simplest of deliveries which undid Chelsea. A no-frills Pablo Sarabia corner was met by Lemina who did not even have to get airborne to direct the ball into the far post for his third goal of the campaign. His marker, Lesley Ugochukwu, offered no resistance. In the dugout, Pochettino cut a forlorn figure, slumped in his chair, unable to fathom his side’s defensive deficiencies. 

Wolves could have added a second soon after when Matheus Cunha pounced on an Axel Disasi error before squaring to Hwang. The South Korean engaged in a wrestling match with Levi Colwill inside the penalty area, appealing for a penalty but to no avail.

Nkunku was introduced on the hour mark and came within a whisker of getting on the scoresheet when his poked effort was cleared off the line by Toti. Images showed that more of the ball was past the goalline than on it, but such are the rules of football the goal was not awarded. Chelsea picked up seven bookings throughout the encounter, an indictment of their lack of control and sheer quantity of mistakes. 

The groan of disapproval which greeted the 11 minutes of stoppage time soon turned to delight as Wolves put the game to bed in the 93rd minute. Badiashile could not clear his lines, instead teeing up Matt Doherty, who was afforded the freedom of Wolverhampton to slot calmly past a helpless Petrovic. There was just enough time for Nkunku to grab his first Premier League goal, guiding a Sterling cross into the far post with his head, but it wasn’t enough as Wolves saw out the win. 

Victory draws Wolves level with Chelsea on 22 points, only behind in 11th position on goal difference. Football is a cut-and-dried business and Chelsea have not been good enough at any point in 2023, a year which will be remembered as their annus horribilis. 

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman ©, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Gomes, Lemina, Sarabia, Hwang, Cunha

Substitutes: Bentley, Doherty, Bueno, Kaladzic, Doyle, Barnett, Chirewa, Hesketh

Chelsea: Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Ugochukwu, Gallagher ©, Sterling, Palmer, Jackson, Broja

Substitutes: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Badiashile, Maatsen, Lavia, Madueke, Mudryk, Nkunku