The Wolves inflicted their fourth defeat in six matches on Chelsea on Sunday, beating the London aspect 2-1 within the first Christmas Eve Premier League match since 1995.
Mauricio Pochettino’s males dominated possession at Molineux however wasted their possibilities in a fascinating recreation plagued by careless errors by the visiting aspect.
Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty put Wolves 2-0 in entrance, however they had been made to sweat when Christopher Nkunku pulled one again on his Premier League debut.
The defeat means a depressing Christmas for inconsistent Chelsea, who’re caught in tenth place within the Premier League after their fourth defeat in six league video games, with Wolves behind them solely on purpose distinction.
There have been possibilities at each ends early within the recreation.
Nelson Samedo burst ahead however couldn’t discover Matheus Cunha on the left earlier than Armando Broja came across the ball within the field on the different finish when properly positioned.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson was additionally responsible of failing to profit from some good openings.
Chelsea wasted a gilt-edged alternative to take the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when Raheem Sterling caught Joao Gomes in possession 40 yards out and drove ahead.
The England ahead was one-on-one with Jose Sa with two gamers to his proper however he opted to shoot reasonably than cross and it was saved by the Wolves goalkeeper.
Wolves had an opportunity to interrupt the impasse within the closing moments of the half when Hwang Hee-chan burst by way of however he blasted over from an angle.
The house aspect began the second half brightly and got here inside a whisker of taking the lead when Chelsea’s Lesley Ugochukwu deflected Joao Gomes’s shot onto the skin of the publish.
However they broke the impasse within the 51st minute when Lemina didn’t even must get off the bottom to go a Pablo Sarabia nook dwelling.
Substitute Nkunku got here agonisingly near equalising when his shot was hacked off the road.
As an alternative, Wolves doubled their lead in stoppage time.
Substitute Hugo Bueno crossed and Chelsea had been solely in a position to block the ball so far as the ready Doherty, who completed calmly from shut vary.
France worldwide Nkunku pulled one again when he headed dwelling within the 96th minute however Gary O’Neil’s aspect held on to take all three factors.
AFP