Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea

Molineux forms the backdrop for a bottom-half Premier League encounter between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea.

Despite being stranded in the lower reaches since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, Wolverhampton are relatively safe from relegation, boasting a commanding ten-point lead on 18th-placed Luton at the beginning of this round. However, manager Gary O’Neil can’t afford to let his side’s comfortable position carry him away as Wolves come into proceedings having lost three of their last five league matches (W1, D1), including a thumping 3-0 defeat at West Ham in the previous round. The impending Molineux return could turn Wolves’ fortunes around, considering they’re unbeaten in their last six home league outings (W3, D3) and are enjoying a formidable 15-game scoring streak in home top-flight games. Replicating a 1-0 win in this corresponding fixture last season would see Wolverhampton score in 16 consecutive top-flight matches on home turf for the first time since 1970.

On the other hand, Chelsea pulled off a nail-biting penalty shoot-out win against injury-hit Newcastle United in midweek League Cup action, bolstering their spirits following a 2-0 home league win against basement boys Sheffield United last weekend. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have traveled poorly in the past 30 days, replacing a three-match winning league streak outside Stamford Bridge with three successive defeats, two of which came via multi-goal margins. Connoisseurs of action-packed football will hope Chelsea can maintain a high-scoring trend on the road that has seen four of their last five away league matches produce over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet. Against this backdrop, the ‘Blues’ have drawn a blank on their two most recent visits to Molineux (D1, L1) in matches garnering just one goal.