CHELSEA have thrashed Wolves 6-2 to claim their first win of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Nicolas Jackson put the Blues ahead before Matheus Cunha equalised minutes later.
Cole Palmer then fired Enzo Maresca’s side in front once more with an incredible lob, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s out-stretched strike meant that the match was all square at 2-2 at half-time.
Just after the restart, Noni Madueke stroked home for 3-2 – and then minutes later, the winger doubled his tally to make it 4-2 to the Blues.
The 22-year-old then completed a stunning second-half hat-trick just after the hour, with Palmer providing the assists to all three goals.
Before the match, Madueke mistakenly shared an X-rated message to his social media account.
The ex-PSV man posted an Instagram message showing his location as Wolverhampton and added: “Everything about this place is s***.”
Joao Felix came off the bench to get in on the act as he marked his second Chelsea debut with a goal to make it 6-2.
- Match result: Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
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Young, gifted and Blue
One of the most impressive factors of Chelsea’s six-goal success this afternoon was the youthful exuberance of their side.
Enzo Maresca named nine players aged 23 or younger in his starting XI today, and it is only the fourth time in Premier League history that has happened.
The other instances are Middlesbrough vs Fulham in May 2006 (10), Aston Villa vs Swansea in January 2013 (10) and Chelsea vs Man Utd in May 2023 (9).
Cole and Noni Mad for it
After all of the pre-match hullaballoo regarding Noni Madueke’s social media post about the city of Wolverhampton, it was inevitable that the winger would have a say in matters on the pitch.
And so it proved with the 22-year-old bagging his first senior hat-trick.
All three goals were supplied to him on a plate by Cole Palmer, and were converted from a similar position in the area.
It is is just the fifth time in Premier League history that a player has assisted a teammate for three or more goals in the same game.
- Mike Newell for Alan Shearer (3 in 1995)
- Stan Collymore for Robbie Fowler (3 in 1995)
- Freddie Ljungberg for Thierry Henry (3 in 2003)
- Harry Kane for Heung-min Son (4 in 2020)
- Cole Palmer for Noni Madueke (3 in 2024)
Match stats from Molineux
Chelsea’s victory at Wolves is one in the eye for the xG enthusiasts.
Full time – Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
Noni Madueke didn’t think much of Wolverhampton on arrival this morning – but he’s certainly enjoyed his afternoon at Molineux.
The Chelsea winger hit a 14-minute second half hat-trick that knocked the stuffing out of Wolves, and left the home fans howling in despair.
It was a breathless contest throughout, but while the first half was end-to-end drama, the second half was all about the Blues.
A debut goal for Joao Felix capped it off for Enzo Maresca’s side, who are up and running for the season with three points and six goals.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
90+7. I’ve just remembered that Enzo Maresca started his playing career at West Brom.
That’s not going to help the locals around here tonight.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
90+5. There are a lot of empty orange seats around here.
Meanwhile, Joao Felix makes a mess of a simple pass that would have had Neto in on goal.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
90+2. Mario Lemina hasn’t deserved to be on a losing side today.
The Wolves captain looks crestfallen as he’s withdrawn in injury time with Tommy Doyle sent on in his place.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
90. Wolves’ players and supporters will have to endure another eight minutes before they are put out of their misery.
The Chelsea fans are giving it the ‘oles!’ for every successful pass.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
88. Chelsea come forward looking for more.
Nkuku carries the ball, but holds on to it too long before looking for Madueke.
The hat-trick hero clearly fancies a fourth, and thumps just wide from 20 yards out.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
86. Strand Larsen has a half-chance to narrow the deficit, but snatches at his shot on the turn to arrow wide of Robert Sanchez’s goal.
More Wolves fans head for the exit.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
84. Cole Palmer departs to a standing ovation from the travelling fans, and leaves with a stunning goal and three assists to his name.
Christopher Nkunku gets a run out.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
82. The Chelsea fans are in full voice.
The Chelsea players are at full pelt.
Don’t rule out a seventh.
Wolves 2-6 Chelsea
80. There’s no doubt about this one though, and Joao Felix has his first goal since coming back to Chelsea!
And on his return to Molineux, Pedro Neto also has his first assist in a blue shirt.
It’s a sweeping counter-attack in which Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sprays the ball out to the former Wolves man on the left.
His run is direct, his low cross is perfect, and Joao Felix’s first time sidefoot into the top corner is sublime.
If the first half was chaotic, the second has been a Chelsea masterclass.
Six of the best!
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
78. Lemina slams Wolves back into the contest with a stunning finish!
But the celebrations – as tame as they are – are cut short.
Toti is adjudged to have been offside when picked out in the area, and the VAR reviews quickly back the linesman up on that.
It’s such a shame for the Wolves captain, who ends up connecting with real power when running on to a loose ball just outside of the area to smash past Robert Sanchez.
When your luck’s out, your luck’s out…
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
75. Enzo Maresca decides that the sensible thing is to rest Moises Caicedo with the points seemingly in the bag.
The midfielder limps out of the action and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is on for the remainder.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
73. The home have been completely rocked by that quickfire hat-trick from Wolverhampton nemesis Noni Madueke.
Co-incidentally, it is the fifth time in Premier League history that one player has assisted another for all three goals of a hat-trick.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
71. Darren England has just about calmed things down out there.
The referee books Mosquera for the foul that while hard was low, and also yellow cards Cucurella for his protests.
Caicedo is moving very gingerly as a result of the challenge.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
69. Crash! That’s a thumping challenge on Caicedo by Mosquera!
It brings a furious reaction from the Chelsea players, and now there is a big melee inside the Wolves half.
Cucurella is asking for a VAR review, and the officials will do well to get a handle on this one.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
67. And now Joao Felix does come on for the Blues
The Portuguese forward replaces Nicolas Jackson.
Meanwhile, Wolves make a trio of changes with Craig Dawson, Rodrigo Gomes and Pablo Sarabia on; Matheus Cunha, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Rayan Ait-Nouri make way.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
65. Enzo Maresca is preparing to give Joao Felix his second Chelsea debut.
Let’s hope it goes better than the first.
Wolves 2-5 Chelsea
63. This is astonishing – for so many reasons!
For the third time in 14 minutes, Chelsea score the same goal with Cole Palmer playing in Noni Madueke.
On this occasion, Wolves are caught playing out from the back and the Blues go to work.
A simple Palmer pass, a thumping Madueke finish, and this game is as good as over.
The scorer celebrates his hat-trick by holding a ball aloft in front of the home fans, who started the afternoon by booing him relentlessly, but must now admit defeat.
Hat-trick!
Wolves 2-4 Chelsea
60. What do Wolves do here?
Gary O’Neil’s team have gone to pieces at the start of the second half, and are in danger of being blown away by a rampant Chelsea.
Wolves 2-4 Chelsea
58. Chelsea finally have the cushion of a two-goal lead!
The Cole Palmer-Noni Madueke partnership pays dividends again with a carbon copy of the last goal.
This time there’s no need for the deflection with the Chelsea winger powerfully firing through the legs of Jose Sa after being slotted in by Palmer.
Their defence may be questionable, but the Blues attack has clicked into gear today.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
