Chelsea ended their five-match winless streak in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
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Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke were all on target as the Blues climbed back into the top four.
Tosin broke the deadlock midway through the first half, but a Robert Sanchez error gifted Matt Doherty an equaliser shortly before the break.
However, Cucurella and Madueke struck in the space of five second-half minutes to seal a much-needed triumph for the Blues.
Enzo Maresca’s side leapfrogged Newcastle United and Manchester City to fourth place, while Wolves remain 17th and only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
21 | +30 | 50 |
| 2 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
22 | +22 | 44 |
| 3 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
22 | +11 | 44 |
| 4 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
22 | +17 | 40 |
| 5 |
Man City
MCI
|
22 | +15 | 38 |
How the match unfolded
Chelsea quickly established their authority on proceedings as Cole Palmer shot narrowly wide, before he called Jose Sa into action with a low drive soon after.
The breakthrough seemed inevitable, and it arrived in the 24th minute when Reece James' shot deflected kindly for Tosin, who calmly tucked away, with the goal disallowed on-pitch for offside, but overturned after a VAR review.
However, Wolves equalised against the run of play in first-half stoppage time as Sanchez spilled Matheus Cunha’s corner, allowing Doherty to pounce and prod in the loose ball.
The Blues regained their advantage in the 60th minute when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall flicked on Madueke’s cross, and the unmarked Cucurella was on hand to control and finish on his 100th Premier League appearance.
Madueke then got in on the act five minutes later, with the England international nodding home on the line after the returning Trevoh Chalobah headed Palmer’s corner towards goal.
The offside flag then denied Nicolas Jackson a fourth late on but, by then, the damage was done, and Chelsea were back to winning ways.
Blues bounce back
After Newcastle were well-beaten by AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, Chelsea knew this was a good opportunity to displace the Magpies in the top four.
Maresca’s side began the contest with plenty of purpose and it only seemed a matter of time before they struck first, which they eventually did through Tosin’s first Premier League goal.
However, the Blues had dropped seven points from winning positions in their last four league matches, and they must have had that sinking feeling when Doherty equalised just before half-time.
Nevertheless, they dusted themselves down and were quickly back in control of proceedings in the second half.
Cucurella got them back in front with a well-taken finish. Madueke – the hat-trick hero when the sides met in August – was then the scourge of Wolves once again when he headed into an empty net.
Despite the brief scare, it was a generally comfortable win for the Blues, and a timely confidence booster ahead of their trip to the Etihad Stadium to face a revitalised Man City on Saturday.
Wolves winless streak continues
Vitor Pereira’s reign began with back-to-back Premier League victories, but Wolves’ next three matches brought two defeats and a draw.
Their confidence would not have been soaring as a result, and this was epitomised by the lapse in communication between Doherty and Sa in the 23rd minute. The defender headed Chalobah’s long ball beyond the outrushing goalkeeper, but just about managed to recover and clear with Pedro Neto breathing down his neck.
When Tosin broke the deadlock, Wolves had failed to register a touch inside Chelsea’s box. But, to their credit, they responded well and grasped their opportunity when it arrived, as Doherty poked home after Sanchez’s mistake.
However, Cucurella was left unmarked in the box to meet Madueke’s deflected cross, before Wolves’ set-piece frailties were exposed again with Palmer’s corner leading to the Blues’ third goal.
Pereira’s side did launch a late rally with Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen drawing saves from Sanchez, but the contest was beyond them by then.
Things do not get any easier for them, either. Their next four Premier League matches are against Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Bournemouth.
Club reports
Chelsea report | Wolves report
What the managers said
Enzo Maresca: "The first 40 minutes we were top. The performance was excellent and we dominated the game. We scored and created many more chances.
"Then in the last five minutes what has been happening in the last five games happened again. Wolves had a little bit of confidence and got their goal and then we started to struggle a little bit. Second half we started quite well and then after the second and third goals we were in control."
Vitor Pereira: "We faced a strong team with players that one against one can create chances. We didn't start the game in the way I like, we defended too much in a low block. We decided to change the wingers and after that we started to look more compact. The pressure from the front line wasn't the right pressure against this team, and they created problems. When we did some corrections on the pitch we started to play and created problems, in the end we scored a goal.
"In the second half, we started again in a way I don't like. We conceded a goal and at 2-1 we could compete, but we didn't start playing again until after the third goal."
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Match facts
Wolves have lost their first three league games to start a calendar year for the first time since 1982 (first six), a season they were relegated from the top flight.
Madueke has scored four goals against Wolves this season, only Diego Costa against Swansea in 2014/15, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink against Tottenham in 2001/02 and Gianluca Vialli against Barnsley in 1997/98 (all five) have scored more goals against a side in a Premier League season for the Blues.
Tosin became Chelsea's 13th different Premier League goalscorer this season (excluding own goals) only Arsenal (14) have had more in the competition in 2024/25.