Frank Lampard takes Tammy Abraham and the rest of his inconsistent Chelsea side to the Molineaux to face a tough Wolves, a team also struggling to cope with the demands of juggling domestic and continental commitments evident.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been excellent in Europe where they have secured passage to the Group Stage of the Europa League but same can’t be said of their form on the home front.
Four games into the Premier League season and Nuno Espirito Santo’s men are one of only two teams yet to put a win on the board along with bottom club Watford.
Three times English champions Wolves have been forced to stale draws by Leicester City, Manchester United and Burnley – two of which are above Chelsea on the league table. And the home side will believe that a win on Saturday is not out of reach, especially against a side that have only won one of their last five matches in all competitions, conceding in all.
Wolves’ manager Nuno Espirito Santo will feel that Saturday’s game against Chelsea represents a real opportunity to notch that first league victory of 2019/20 however.
Despite being imposed with a transfer ban over the summer, the Blues remain a dangerous opponent to face with Frank Lampard’s new look team displaying a fluid attacking verve at times.
Team News
Chelsea
Emerson sustained a knock while on international duty with Italy and will be assessed, with Marcos Alonso expected to start if his teammate is ruled out.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi all miss out, however, better news sees N’Golo Kante, Pedro and Antonio Rudiger all closing in on a return to fitness.
Mateo Kovacic is a doubt with an Achilles problem, but is expected to be fit enough to start, while Andreas Christensen may return to the starting XI at Fikayo Tomori’s expense.
Wolves
Willy Boly is suspended after his red card in the 3-2 loss at Everton and with Romain Saiss a doubt, Jesus Vallejo is in line to make his first league start for Wolves.
Matt Doherty remains out for the home side, which should see Adama Traore feature on the right.
Joao Moutinho and Diogo Jota, who both came off the bench at Goodison Park, could start here.
Match stats
Wolves are undefeated in their last 10 home matches (Premier League).
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Wolves’s last 3 home games (Premier League).
There is only one win recorded between these two sides despite having played eight matches combined.
Only newly promoted Norwich City have conceded more goals than Chelsea so far this season, and Lampard’s men have shipped a worrying 2.25 goals per 90 Premier League minutes since the summer.
Head-to-head
Wolves are one of two sides that are yet to win a Premier League match this season having been held to three draws and one defeat. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side picked up four points from six against Chelsea last season, however, winning this game last season.
Wolves defeated Chelsea 2-1 fifteen months ago and will aim for a repeat performance even if the Blues manager then Maurizio Sarri is no longer the man in the dugout for the away team.
Prediction
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side already showed against Man Utd earlier this season, that their knack for taking points off the Premier League’s better teams hasn’t diminished, and the stats back them to make life tough for Chelsea this weekend.
Tip: Wolves to win or draw.
