Chelsea bagged their first win of the Premier League season after thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-2 on Sunday evening.
Premier League
Report: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-6 Chelsea
Date: 25 August 2024
Venue: Molineux Stadium
The Blues made two changes from their opening defeat against Manchester City, as Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk were recalled in places of Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia.
Enzo Maresca's charges had a perfect start after Nicolas Jackson gave them the lead in the first two minutes with a free header at the back post after a flick at the near post from a corner.
Wolves were threatening as the game opened up and after Matheus Cunha had a goal disallowed for offside, the Brazilian eventually levelled matters just before the half-hour mark with a strike from a one-on-one after a through ball by Rayan Ait-Nouri.
With end to end attacks, Chelsea restored their lead on the stroke of half-time after a looping volley from range by Palmer, that caught goalkeeper Jose Sa way off his line.
Wolves reacted almost immediately, as Jorgen Strand Larsen made it 2-2 with a volleyed finish from close-range after a square pass by Toti Gomes.
Maresca added intrigue in the game from the break after he introduced new signing Pedro Neto, against his former side, in place of Mudryk.
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The Blues executed dressing room instructions just four minutes later after Madueke restored their lead again with a deflected shot after a swift attack.
As Wolves sent numbers in attack, they opened up spaces at the back, as shortly before the hour-mark, Madueke made it 4-2 for Chelsea with a strike between the legs of Sa after a through ball by Palmer.
Gary O'Neil's men were caught on a counter-attack near their box four minutes later, as Madueke made it 5-2 and completed his hat-trick with a thumping shot at the near post thanks to another through ball by Palmer.
The Blues were not letting up with 22 minutes to go, as returnee Joao Felix replaced Jackson for fresh legs up top.
Wolves still had a fight in them and in the last ten minutes thought they had pulled a goal back after Mario Lemina found the back of the net but the goal was disallowed for offside after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.
Immediately after that, Felix made it 6-2 for Chelsea as he was at the right place at the right time in the box after a cross by Neto.
Wolves had no fight left in them in the dying minutes, as the Blues clinched their first maximum points in emphatic fashion.
