Chelsea Leapfrog Newcastle and Manchester City with Win Over Wolves

Chelsea secured a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, returning to the Premier League's top four and leapfrogging Newcastle United and Manchester City in the process.

Chelsea bounced back from their recent struggles with a convincing 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, reclaiming a spot in the top four. The win marked a welcome return to form for Chelsea, who dominated the match from the outset. Wolverhampton Wanderers, on the other hand, remain in search of their first clean sheet in London since February 2022.

Chelsea's strong start was evident in the early stages of the match, with Cole Palmer, who had been passed fit to start, creating several scoring opportunities. Palmer's first chance came in the 12th minute, when he curled a shot narrowly wide of the post. He then tested José Sá's reflexes with a low drive from inside the box, keeping the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper on his toes.

A moment of confusion between José Sá and Matt Doherty almost led to a goal for Chelsea, but the visitors managed to avoid conceding. Trevoh Chalobah's long ball forward was headed past Sá by Doherty, but the Irishman recovered quickly to concede a corner, with Pedro Neto lurking. The resulting corner ultimately led to the opening goal, as Reece James' shot was deflected to Tosin Adarabioyo, who converted coolly from close range.

The opening goal was initially ruled out for offside, but after a brief delay, it was awarded to Chelsea. However, Wolves refused to back down and managed to level the score just before halftime. Matheus Cunha's corner caused chaos in the Chelsea box, and Robert Sánchez's fumble allowed Matt Doherty to bundle the loose ball into the net.

Despite dominating the first half in terms of territorial possession, Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca must have been frustrated to see his team's lead evaporate. However, Chelsea regained their composure and retook the lead just before the hour mark. Noni Madueke's cross was expertly flicked on by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, finding Marc Cucurella, who managed to steer the ball past José Sá despite losing his balance.

Chelsea move up to 4th with their first win in five matches 🔵#CHEWOL pic.twitter.com/4kepCqbvod

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 20, 2025

Chelsea's lead was further extended when Rayan Aït-Nouri conceded a free-kick, which Cole Palmer delivered invitingly into the box. Trevoh Chalobah nodded the ball across goal, and Noni Madueke applied the finishing touch. This goal marked the 19th time this season that Wolves have conceded from a set-piece. The visiting team's manager, Vítor Pereira, responded by making a triple substitution in an attempt to salvage the match.

Tosin Adarabioyo's first Premier League goal for @ChelseaFC! 🥳#CHEWOL pic.twitter.com/SG73MiCqp0

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 20, 2025

Chelsea thought they had scored a fourth goal, but Nicolas Jackson was flagged offside, denying them the opportunity to extend their lead further. Nevertheless, Chelsea closed out the match, leapfrogging Newcastle United and Manchester City in the process. While Chelsea's defensive record remains a concern, having kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 home league games, they will look to build on this momentum in their upcoming match against Manchester City.