Advertisement
UK markets closed
  • FTSE 100

    8,285.71
    +99.36 (+1.21%)
     
  • FTSE 250

    21,356.30
    +471.95 (+2.26%)
     
  • AIM

    779.67
    +6.64 (+0.86%)
     
  • GBP/EUR

    1.1844
    -0.0006 (-0.05%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2873
    +0.0019 (+0.14%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    53,522.32
    +982.33 (+1.87%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,395.76
    +65.15 (+4.90%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,459.10
    +59.88 (+1.11%)
     
  • DOW

    40,589.34
    +654.27 (+1.64%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    76.44
    -1.84 (-2.35%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,385.70
    +32.20 (+1.37%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    37,667.41
    -202.10 (-0.53%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    17,021.31
    +16.34 (+0.10%)
     
  • DAX

    18,417.55
    +118.83 (+0.65%)
     
  • CAC 40

    7,517.68
    +90.66 (+1.22%)
     

Chelsea crisis deepens after Wolves thumping

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 4: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea FC during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on February 4, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 4: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea FC during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on February 4, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Chelsea were thumped 4-2 at home to Wolves on Sunday afternoon, with Mauricio Pochettino’s record as Chelsea manager now worse than Graham Potter’s at the same point last season.

In the space of five days Pochettino’s side have conceded eight goals.

The Blues perhaps showed too much hubris after scoring after 19 minutes at Stamford Bridge a goal from Cole Palmer as Wolves’ Matheus Cunha netted three minutes later with a deflection off Thiago Silva.

And Chelsea went into half time a goal down, as an Axel Disasi deflection from a Rayan Ait-Nouri shot sent the ball into the net.

Pochettino was unable to motivate his side at half-time to strike back. Pedro Neto’s unrelenting pace got the better of Chelsea’s faulty defence, cutting it back for Cunha to grab his second goal of the game with a defiant shot past Đorđe Petrović.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Brazilian striker clinched his hat-trick from the penalty spot, having been fouled inside the area by Chelsea’s Malo Gusto.

Silva clawed one back from a late corner but it was not enough to stop Wolves from climbing above Chelsea, leaving the Blues in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Gaping holes in the midfield and lacklustre performances from Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell provoked boos from the Chelsea end, who more than showed their frustration at the team.

Pochettino has matched Graham Potter’s record of 31 points after 23 games. However, Chelsea have conceded 39 goals so far this season, 17 more than Potter’s side did after the same number of matchdays.

Elsewhere on Sunday afternoon, Manchester United youngsters Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho scored in a 3–0 win over West Ham, while Bournemouth survived a late Philip Billing red card to claim a 1-1 draw at home against Nottingham Forest.