CHECK LIVE: WOLVES vs. CHELSEA
Gary O’Neil’s team has only won one of their previous five games, indicating that they have been in a bit of a rut lately. The last time they played, Wolves had lots of possession but switched off three times, allowing West Ham to score on each of those counterattacks and win 3-0. For large stretches of this season, Wolves have performed admirably, but they don’t have the points they deserve, so they will be wary of falling into the relegation zone. However, if they triumph over Chelsea, they will draw even with the Blues in terms of points.
In the meantime, Mauricio Pochettino’s team advanced to the League Cup semifinals after defeating Newcastle in midweek on penalties and prevailing 2-0 at home against Sheffield United in the Premier League’s most recent match. Over the past week, there have been sighs of relief around Stamford Bridge. Injury-prone Chelsea isn’t where they expected to be in the table right now, but they are a few wins short of the top six, Christopher Nkunku is back to full strength, and manager Mauricio Pochettino is talking about spending big again in January. It’s not too horrible.Despite a plethora of highly skilled and costly star acquisitions, Cole Palmer, a teenage English winger, has emerged as their unexpected go-to man and is still their player of the season.
How to watch Chelsea vs. Wolves live, with the start time and online link
Observe Wolves and team updates.
This season, Wolves have needed to strike the correct balance in their assault because Hwang, Cunha, and Sarabia have all seemed to have lost some of their spark in recent weeks. Although Pedro Neto’s injury is a major setback, Wolves are hopeful he will recover quickly. O’Neil’s team has been extremely difficult to play against since they are a well-organized team with a strong defensive and midfield base. They also enjoy launching counterattacks and taking advantage of any tiny errors made by their opponents.
OUT: Pedro Neto (hamstring), Jonny Otto (disciplinary), Joe Hodge (shoulder).
Pay attention to Chelsea and team updates.
Nkunku’s return is huge news, but Chelsea is plagued by injuries. From here on, the French striker’s form and fitness will undoubtedly determine if their season is successful or not. Poch made a bold but ultimately wise decision to bench Enzo Fernandez during the Premier League match, even though the Argentine midfielder is currently dealing with a groyne problem. Chelsea is still very much a work in progress when it comes to finding their ideal lineup and pairings throughout the pitch, but the holiday season provides them with a chance to pick up steam and pass teams who are above them.
QUESTIONABLE: Enzo Fernandez (groyne) OUT: Wesley Fofana (knee), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), Reece James (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (ankle), Noni Madueke (‘small injury’)
