Wolves vs Chelsea: Can Blues Bounce Back at Molineux?
Wolves have dominated Chelsea in recent Premier League encounters, winning their last three matches against the Blues. This run of victories is a stark contrast to their previous 17 matches against Chelsea, where they only managed four draws and ten defeats. Only once in their history have Wolves won more consecutive league games against Chelsea, a streak of five between November 1938 and September 1947.
Chelsea's struggles against Wolves extend beyond their recent poor run. They haven't secured a victory in their last four away league matches at Molineux, recording one draw and three defeats since a 5-2 triumph in September 2019 under Frank Lampard.
While Wolves have enjoyed success against Chelsea, they are currently enduring a challenging period at home. They have lost six of their nine Premier League home games so far in 2024, a stark contrast to their performance in 2023, where they only lost four of their 20 league games at Molineux.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are facing defensive woes on the road. They have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 16 Premier League away games, their longest run without a clean sheet away from Stamford Bridge since a 24-game streak between January 1993 and February 1994.
Wolves enter the match on the back of a dismal run of form, having lost their last four Premier League matches. This is their longest losing streak since a six-game run between May and August 2021, with Terry Connor's seven-match losing streak in March and April 2012 being the only longer run for the club in recent history.
Chelsea are also looking to bounce back after a disappointing start to the season. Their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on the opening day marked their first time losing their first two league games in a season since 1973-74. The last Chelsea manager to lose his first two matches in charge was Gianluca Vialli in February 1998.
Both teams have undergone significant changes since last season. Wolves didn't field a single English player in their starting line-up for their opening match against Arsenal, the first time this has occurred in a Premier League game. Gary O'Neil became the first English manager to field a team without an English player since Steve McClaren for Newcastle against Leicester in November 2015.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have made a number of new signings, handing four Premier League debuts to players against Manchester City. This brings their total number of debuts since the start of last season to 23, five more than any other club who haven't been newly promoted in that period.
Individual performances will be key to both sides' hopes of securing a victory. João Gomes, a key player for Wolves, has been a prolific foul-taker, committing more fouls than any other Premier League player since the start of last season, excluding Conor Gallagher. His aggressive style has seen him receive the second most yellow cards in that period.
Chelsea will be looking to Enzo Fernández to provide a spark in attack. He led all Chelsea players for shots and touches in the opposition box against Manchester City, suggesting he could be a key factor in their attacking efforts.
The clash at Molineux promises to be an intriguing encounter. Wolves, with their recent dominance over Chelsea, will be eager to continue their positive run. However, Chelsea will be determined to bounce back from their opening day defeat and secure a vital victory in their quest to challenge for the Premier League title.
