Wolves vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the action from Molineux
The game Chelsea did not want ended in a scoreline they did not like. A club who had called for a postponement must wish the Premier League did not prove obdurate opponents even before Wolves then did likewise. For the fourth time in six league matches, Chelsea dropped points. Their fans chorused about being champions of Europe, but it is a run of results that renders it less likely they will become champions of England.
As Thomas Tuchel’s depleted group mustered a first clean sheet in seven attempts, the issues instead came at the other end. Chelsea were toothless and goalless. They can attribute it in part to the absence of many of their premier attackers, in Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but profligacy was not the problem. They created too few chances to miss many.
Wolves had only lost 1-0 to Liverpool and Manchester City. This time they claimed a point against title contenders. They illustrated why they, along with the trio at the top, have the best defensive record. They can lament the fact that only Norwich have scored fewer. Follow all the reaction to Wolves vs Chelsea and the action from Tottenham vs Liverpool below:
Chelsea’s system short-circuited against Everton and is in need of a reset
Booing happens – Thomas Tuchel won’t take flak from Chelsea fans personally
Chelsea ‘deeply disappointed’ after failing in bid to have Wolves game postponed
Depleted Chelsea see Premier League title hopes hit by draw at stubborn Wolves
Wolves vs Chelsea: Blues dipping in form
Chelsea have won just twice in five Premier League fixtures with two draws and one defeat in that run. They have dropped seven points from winning positions in their last seven Premier League games.
The Blues could lose successive away league matches for the first time since a run of three in December 2020, when the second defeat came versus Wolves.
Wolves vs Chelsea: Tuchel on postponing the game
Chelsea had a request to postpone today’s fixture turned down by the Premier League and understandably that has angered Chelsea’s manager Thomas Tuchel who said:
It is exactly like this, we thought we had a strong case regarding the security and health of players, we have seven positive cases, we were made to be in the bus and travel together for three hours, were in meeting together, in dinner and lunch and the situation does not feel like it will stop.
“We applied to not play and put the situation under control and it was rejected. It is very hard to understand it, we are concerned about the health of the players. We end up with players who play coming from injuries and we take the risk.
“I am worried from a medical point of view, we have had four days of consecutive positive tests. How will it stop if we are in a bus together and in meetings together?
“We are disappointed, we are a bit angry.”
Wolves vs Chelsea: Wolves lacking goals
Wolves’ victory against Brighton last time out ended a run of four consecutive games without scoring. They have scored a league-low five goals at home this season but have lost just three times in 1 fixtures with six wins and three draws.
Wolves vs Chelsea: Blues have six-man subs bench
With all the injuries and positive Covid cases in Chelsea’s squad Thomas Tuchel is only able to name a six-man bench for their game against Wolves today.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli, Mateo Kovacic, Saul Niguez, Ross Barkley, Malang Sarr are the only substitutes Tuchel can call on which sees Chelsea’s calls for a postponement make more sense.
Wolves vs Chelsea: Team changes
Bruno Lage makes three changes to the Wolves team that lined up against Brighton in midweek. Hwang Hee-Chan is injured with Francisco Trincao and Nelson Semedo dropping to the bench. Ki Jane Hoever, Leander Dendoncker and Raul Jimenez all return to the starting XI.
Thomas Tuchel is forced into two changes from the Chelsea team that started against Everton. Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are both out of the game and in their place are N’Golo Kante and Trevoh Chalobah who steps into midfield.
Wolves vs Chelsea: Line-ups
Wolves XI: Sa, Hoever, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Marcal, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Jimenez, Podence
Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, James, Kante, Chalobah, Alonso, Mount, Pulisic, Ziyech
Wolves vs Chelsea prediction: How will Premier League fixture play out today?
Wolves welcome Chelsea to Molineux in the Premier League this afternoon.
Romain Saiss secured all three points in a hard-fought victory over Brighton during the week, which propelled Wolves up to eighth in the table heading into the weekend.
They will feel strangely confident of causing an upset against Chelsea after Thomas Tuchel’s side’s slump continued at home against Everton on Thursday.
Predicting how Wolves vs Chelsea will play out today
Everything you need to know ahead of this afternoon’s match
Wolves vs Chelsea: Calls for a postponement rejected
Chelsea have comfirmed that a request to postpone their Premier League match at Wolves today has been rejected.
In a statement from the Blues, Chelsea revealed their disappointment at league bosses insisting today’s match went ahead on schedule.
It is understood that Chelsea lost more players to positive covid tests on Saturday, leaving them with a makeshift squad for the trip to Wolves.
Wolves vs Chelsea: What’s in store for the Premier League today?
There are three planned games in the Premier League today after Everton and Leicester was postponed. At 2pm Wolves vs Chelsea and Newcastle vs Manchester City kick off before Tottenham host Liverpool at 4:3pm.
All three games have implications for the top of the Premier League table as any dropped points from City, Chelsea and Liverpool could see the teams leapfrogging each other.
Newcastle are three points off safety but will have a difficult task against the league leaders and Tottenham would move a step closer to the top four if they were to beat Liverpool.
Wolves vs Chelsea: Head-to-head
Wolves have won just three times in 14 Premier League games against Chelsea, although those victories have all come in the last five home matches.
Wolves have kept just two clean sheets in 18 meetings between the teams, across all competitions, since 1982.
They have lost nine Premier League games versus Chelsea, their highest tally versus any club bar Liverpool (12).
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