Chelsea ended their five-game winless streak in the Premier League with an important 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Wolves on Monday.
Despite a costly mistake from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, second-half goals from Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke secured all three points for the home side, moving them back into the top four and strengthening their bid for Champions League qualification.
The win comes as a relief for Chelsea fans after their promising early-season form faltered.
Enzo Maresca’s team had been just two points behind league leaders Liverpool in mid-December, sparking hopes of an unexpected title challenge. However, a poor run of results saw them lose ground.
Speaking after the match, Maresca acknowledged Chelsea’s strong start but admitted familiar issues resurfaced before halftime.
“We dominated the first 40 minutes, but then we lost confidence after conceding. In the second half, we started well, and once we scored the second and third goals, the game was in our control,” Maresca told Sky Sports.
He emphasized that, despite their recent struggles, the team’s performances had been solid. “We created chances in the past games but couldn’t score. Tonight, we finally got the goals.”
Chelsea made five changes to the side that drew with Bournemouth last week, including the return of center-back Trevoh Chalobah from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.
Despite being doubtful before the match, top scorer Cole Palmer was fit to start and played a key role in Chelsea’s attacking efforts.
The home side dominated possession early on, with Palmer testing Wolves’ goalkeeper Jose Sa twice, including a curling effort that went just wide.
Their pressure paid off midway through the first half when Tosin Adarabioyo scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea.
Reece James fired a shot from the edge of the box, and the ball deflected into Adarabioyo’s path, allowing him to control and score.
Although several Chelsea players appeared to be offside, the goal was awarded after a VAR review overturned the on-field decision.
Wolves, who had been lackluster in attack, capitalized on a mistake by Sanchez just before halftime to equalize.
Matheus Cunha’s inswinging corner put Sanchez under pressure, and the Spanish goalkeeper failed to punch clear, dropping the ball for Matt Doherty to tap in.
Chelsea responded strongly in the second half and regained the lead on the hour mark. Cucurella stretched to hook the ball into the net after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall flicked on a cross from Madueke.
Five minutes later, Madueke doubled the advantage, heading in a goal-bound effort from Chalobah to score his fourth goal against Wolves this season.
Despite a late scare when Sanchez had to palm away a powerful shot from Cunha, Chelsea remained largely in control.
The win saw them leapfrog Newcastle and Manchester City in the table, setting up a crucial clash with City in their next match.
Maresca, now in his first season as Chelsea manager, has maintained that his side is not in the title race, even during their impressive five-match winning streak in November.
Starting with a goalless draw against Everton just before Christmas, Chelsea had managed only three points from five matches before this much-needed victory.
For Wolves, the defeat deepens their struggles under new manager Vitor Pereira. Having conceded a league-high 51 goals this season, they now sit just above the relegation zone on goal difference after three consecutive losses.
Their bright start under Pereira feels like a distant memory as they fight to avoid being dragged further into the relegation battle.
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