Chelsea’s Champions League encounter with Qarabag proved tougher than many expected. Despite the huge gap in European experience between the two sides, the Azerbaijani team came close to pulling off a major upset. Goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic briefly put Qarabag ahead before Alejandro Garnacho rescued Chelsea with an equaliser, leaving the match level at 2-2.
It was a frustrating result for Enzo Maresca’s side, who missed a valuable opportunity to move closer to securing qualification for the knockout rounds. The mood in the dressing room was far from celebratory, as the team knew they had let two points slip away.
Chelsea’s inconsistency in the Premier League continues to hold them back. Their record over the last six matches shows three wins and three defeats, though they did earn a solid 1-0 victory over Tottenham last weekend. Joao Pedro’s goal was enough to seal the points in North London, giving Chelsea their third win in four league matches.
That run has lifted the Blues to seventh in the table, narrowly ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. While they have yet to fully meet pre-season expectations, one encouraging sign is their resilience — Chelsea have only been behind for 14.4 percent of their Premier League minutes this season, the second-best rate in the league behind Crystal Palace.
For Wolves, the picture is far bleaker. Pereira’s departure came after a crushing 3-0 defeat to Fulham, their fourth consecutive loss in all competitions and third straight in the Premier League. The result left Wolves without a single league victory this season and eight points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table.
The club has yet to appoint a new permanent manager, though Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards is reportedly leading the race ahead of former boss Gary O’Neil. For now, Under-21s coach James Collins and Under-18s manager Richard Walker have been placed in temporary charge as the team prepares for another daunting test at Stamford Bridge.
Wolves have been chasing games more than any other side this season, trailing in nearly 60 percent of their Premier League minutes — a reflection of their struggles in both attack and defence. Their winless run in the league now stands at 14 matches, with their last victory coming back in April.
The Old Gold nearly pulled off a surprise against Chelsea in the EFL Cup at the end of October, pushing the Blues in a thrilling 4-3 encounter. Their recent meetings have been full of goals, with a remarkable 25 scored between the two sides in their last four clashes — a trend that promises another lively contest under the lights at Stamford Bridge.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Maresca’s plans for the Qarabag match were disrupted just eight minutes in when midfielder Romeo Lavia, who has struggled with injuries, was forced off with a new thigh problem. The setback will keep him out for an unknown period.
Lavia joins Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo, and Benoit Badiashile on Chelsea’s injury list, while Mykhaylo Mudryk remains suspended. On the positive side, former Wolves winger Pedro Neto is expected to recover from a minor knock and should be fit to face his old team.
In attack, Liam Delap is available again after serving his suspension. The young forward, who was sent off against Wolves in the EFL Cup, came off the bench during the midweek draw with Qarabag and could now return to the starting lineup.
For Wolves, the caretaker coaching team will be without defender Emmanuel Agbadou, who is suspended following his red card in the loss to Fulham. He is one of four confirmed absentees, along with Matt Doherty, Leon Chiwome, and Rodrigo Gomes, all sidelined with injuries. Ladislav Krejci is likely to move into defence to fill the gap left by Agbadou’s absence.
Jhon Arias and Ki-Jana Hoever were both substituted at half time during the 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage, meaning Andre, Joao Gomes, and Jackson Tchatchoua could all be in line for recalls this weekend.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Pedro, Garnacho; Delap
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Johnstone; Toti, Krejci, S. Bueno; Tchatchoua, Andre, Gomes, H. Bueno; Munetsi, Bellegarde; Strand Larsen
EXPERT PREDICTION
Chelsea 2-0 Wolves
