Chelsea vs Wolves match preview

Two teams seeking their first Premier League win in 2025 meet at Stamford Bridge on Monday, with Wolves manager Vitor Pereira looking to improve their attacking options after back-to-back 3-0 defeats in the top flight at Newcastle and at home to Nottingham. Forest.

“It’s the last run, the pass, the shot,” said Pereira, after analyzing the strike at St James’ Park last Wednesday in which Wolves had more attempts on target than the Magpies.

“(It’s) the angle of the shot, the position where we have to be visible. When (the players) have the ball and go to the line, (they) have to know that in all these phases, there will be someone to score. And this is something that we have to work on together.”

The Portuguese, who managed seven goals and seven points in his first three games after replacing Gary O’Neil on December 19, said Chelsea were “the team to win the league” before their five-game winning streak. 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth six days ago.

Monday night football in the capital. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/urcKvWx7Mn

– Wolves (@Wolves) January 18, 2025

Blues top scorer Cole Palmer scored inside the opening 17 minutes for the third time in four league games, but only Reece James’ 95th-minute free saved Chelsea from defeat.

“He could be very important,” manager Enzo Maresca said of the former England international, adding that James “could be ready” for Wolves as the captain continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

“We know how good he is. It’s not about how many goals he’s scored or how many minutes, it’s about the situation. What we don’t want is for us to go again and he’s injured again.”

The win puts Chelsea in fourth, one point above Manchester City and Newcastle. Wolves start above third-placed Ipswich Town on goal and four points behind fifth-placed Everton.

Wolves preparation. 👊 pic.twitter.com/uL7KvkdoO6

– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 18, 2025

Chelsea vs Wolves news

Palmer is the Premier League’s fourth-highest goalscorer after 14 appearances this season, so Maresca hopes the England international will recover from the injury that kept him out of training on Friday.

Defender Levi Colwill and midfielders Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez are also doubtful after missing the session. Wesley Fofana could miss the rest of the season through injury, and defender Benoit Badiashile will not return to his hamstring until next month.

Midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remains out through injury, as well Mykhailo Mudryk A failed drug test was investigated by The Football Association, preventing the winner from appearing.

Centre-back Trevoh Chalobah could be available after being recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, and winger Pedro Neto – signed from Wolves for an initial fee of £51.3 million in August – could replace Noni Madueke after his recovery.

Busy week at Cobham Training Centre! 📍 pic.twitter.com/b2zcpHzUfW

– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 18, 2025

“They compete with each other and help us,” Maresca said of the pair, citing Neto’s “good” results since his arrival. “If one plays from the start and the other plays 10 minutes, we want to have equal energy from both.

“I try to explain to them that from one game to another, the idea is different… what we need from them is to win games, score goals and assist.”

Wolves striker Matheus Cunha has 10 league goals and four assists, making the Brazilian’s lack of fitness and flu-like symptoms a major concern for Pereira.

“He’s a little sick, but I hope he’ll be on the field,” said Pereiraand provide insight into the conversation he shared with the 25-year-old about his defensive and rare career.

Final edition of #CHEWOL 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/Lkj0qrCVLR

– Wolves (@Wolves) January 19, 2025

“He can create magic at the right time and create something special … but he has to be committed all the time, every minute of the game.

“When we lose the ball, they must give the first example to the others that they are running to get the ball back… This is the character and personality of top players. This is what I am asking of him.

Among Pereira’s defenders, Yerson Mosquera will miss the rest of the season and the game will come too soon for Toti Gomes.

Midfielder Boubacar Traore and striker Sasa Kalajdzic are struggling to recover from serious injuries, as is striker Enso Gonzalez.

Cunha hat-trick in our last trip to Stamford Bridge ✨

⏪ #CHEWOL | | @MNEGlobal pic.twitter.com/RJuRfkSKM7

– Wolves (@Wolves) January 19, 2025

Chelsea vs Wolves is expected to play

Chelsea: Sánchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Sancho; jackson

Wolf: At; Doherty, Bueno, Agbadou; Semedo, Andre, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Guedes, Kunha; Larsen Beach

How to watch Chelsea vs Wolves: TV, live stream

It kicks off at 20:00 in the UK, and is broadcast on Sky Sports Premier League, Main Event and Ultra from 18:30.

Fans who want to tune in online can use the Sky GO app on a variety of major devices.

Noni completes a hat-trick against Wolves. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DVyoxlaRK9

– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 19, 2025

Statistics

• In 11 of the last 13 In Chelsea’s home matches the number of goals was over 2.5
• In 9 of the last 11 Chelsea’s home games in the Premier League, the number of goals was under 3.5
• In final 4 Chelsea’s home matches in the Premier League, the number of goals was over 2.5
• In 5 of the last 6 Chelsea games in the Premier League, the number of goals was below 3.5
• In 3 of the last 4 Chelsea’s home matches the number of goals was over 3.5

• In The last 10 Wolverhampton away from the match the number of goals was over 2.5
• In 17 of the last 19 Wolverhampton matches and the number of goals was over 2.5
• In 15 of the last 17 Wolverhampton’s game in the Premier League, the number of goals was over 2.5
• In final 8 Wolverhampton’s away game in the Premier League, the number of goals was over 2.5
• In 6 of the last 8 Wolverhampton’s away game in the Premier League, the number of goals was over 3.5

Prediction

There have been three goals in five of the last six games, including a 4-2 win on the road at Wolves on February 4 and a win. 6-2 Chelsea won on August 25 that was their first under Maresca.

The level of participation of the main player has the ability to decide this competition: unsurprisingly, Palmer scored one and set up three goals in the game, Cunha, who scored a hat-trick after Palmer’s opening in the past, drawing briefly the level of Wolves in Molineux.

Palmer vs. Wolves. 🐺 pic.twitter.com/RowlRecQsm

– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 19, 2025

Cunha scored one and set up another in their 2-0 win at Manchester United as he completed more than 45 minutes, and Palmer has started all of Chelsea’s league games, including six assists.

Charm aside, goals have not been a problem for these teams. Only Tottenham have beaten Wolves in the bottom nine, while Chelsea have scored more goals than anyone except Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.

The problem, then, is at the other end: Chelsea’s only clean sheet in their last seven league games was against an Everton team known for their lack of threat, and Wolves have scored nine goals in their last four games in all competitions.

With a tough game at City coming up on Saturday (5.30pm GMT), it is imperative that Chelsea win in the league for the first time since December 15 – perhaps with a 3-1 victory.