Wolves vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Noni Madueke hits hat-trick in goalfest
Chelsea are still in search of their first points after defeat to Man City in their opening game
Chelsea showed their attacking potential to give Enzo Maresca a first-ever top-flight win as a manager, as they swamped a defensively-dreadful Wolves to win 6-2 in the Premier League.
An even first half saw the scoring go back and forth, Nicolas Jackson’s early opener cancelled out by Matheus Cunha before Cole Palmer and Jorgen Strand Larsen swapped strikes right before the break.
But after the restart it was all about the blues’ attack, with Noni Madueke scoring a hat-trick - all set up by Palmer - and sub Joao Felix adding a late sixth on his second debut for the club to give the Maresca era a big first league win and plenty of talking points. For Wolves, a fast improvement is needed after they disappeared entirely, leading to a mostly empty stadium by the final whistle.
Follow all the reaction from Wolves vs Chelsea in the blog below
46’ - Wolves 2-2 Chelsea
Back underway. Sub for Chelsea at the break now as Pedro Neto is on for Mudryk. He’s straight into the action against his old team but Mosquera is there to fend him off.
Well, a lot to unpack there:
Nicolas Jackson headed in the opener with basically the first attack of the game, a corner after two minutes.
The Blues were stronger in that early period but Wolves came back into it, had one disallowed and missed a couple of other chances - then Matheus Cunha barrelled in the equaliser after a great Ait-Nouri run.
It looked like that would be it for the first half as both spurned chances, but a long Sanchez pass found Jackson, who hooked one on for Cole Palmer - and he produced a great lob to put Chelsea back ahead.
In stoppage time at the end of the half, though, Wolves were level once more as Jorgen Strand Larsen stretched out a boot to make it 2-2 from a Toni knock-down.
HT: Wolves 2-2 Chelsea
A wild half comes to a close with a mid-air crash but Gomes and Jackson are fine after some treatment.
Four goals, a whole host of other chances and plenty of very questionable defensive work.
Both managers might want a word to tighten things up!
GOAL! 45+6’ - Wolves 2-2 Chelsea
...and would you believe it, we’re all square again!
A clipped ball to the far post sees Toti nod across the six-yard box, no Chelsea defender is faced the right way to clear and Strand Larsen is there to reach out a big right leg and divert it past Sanchez and in!
It’s back to all square, 2-2 before the break.
45+4’ - Wolves 1-2 Chelsea
Well inside stoppage time - elsewhere Bournemouth lead Newcastle. You can follow that in our other live blog running alongside this one.
No great push from Wolves to get themselves back on level terms and they look a bit deflated after conceding that soft second goal.
Madueke fouls Cunha about eight yards outside the box and there’s a final chance to deliver for the hosts before the break...
GOAL! 45’ - Wolves 1-2 Chelsea
Scrap all of that!!
Wolves’ free-kick ends up wide, Chelsesa launch it forward, Jackson flicks it on and Palmer runs in to clip a lobbed finish, first time, over Sa and into the net from 25 yards!
Fantastic finish and timing from the attacking midfielder but how have Wolves switched off like that before the break, Toti was the only one back!
Six minutes added on.
44’ - Wolves 1-1 Chelsea
Final minutes before the break and it was so close a brilliant goal with the move of the game! Joao Gomes drags Wolves upfield once more and Lemina then splits the defence with a take-on and a pass, the cut-back finds Cunha and his strike is deflected past Sanchez and onto the crossbar by Colwill!
Almost brilliant but Chelsea escape and will probably be glad to get into the dressing rooms level, despite that fast start they made. Cole Palmer is then next into the book for berating the ref after a foul.
40’ - Wolves 1-1 Chelsea
A total mix-up between Toti and Sa as a bouncing ball is left by both, then gone for by both - it bounces off the keeper, hits the onrushing Jackson on the heel and rolls away to safety. Massive let-off for Wolves.
Neto - and Joao Felix - go out for a warm-up with a few minutes left before the break. Interesting to see what reception he gets if the ex-Wolves man comes on.
Five minutes until the interval. Gusto is booked now for tripping Cunha who was off on a counter - bit of a dramatic fall but it was certainly card-worthy for stopping the attack in any case.
36’ - Wolves 1-1 Chelsea
Yellow card for Ait-Nouri now and a shooting chance from the free-kick for Cole Palmer, who has been a little quiet in the last 15 minutes. Straight into the wall. Strand Larsen leaps and heads it away, goes down, shakes it off and gets on with it.
Think they love him here already, plenty of chasing, challenging and genuinely smart hard work.
32’ - Wolves 1-1 Chelsea
Ait-Nouri pings a brilliant cross from the left this time and it’s just a yard ahead of Larsen, who is stretching in the middle to reach it.
Chelsea struggling to match their own early intensity and in this entire half it has seemed both teams could score every time they reach the penalty box.
Another corner is swung in from the right but the blues this time repel the danger - and the second delivery.
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