Match Preview for Wolves v Chelsea
Molineux hosts one of the standout fixtures of the EFL Cup fourth round on Wednesday night as Wolves take on Chelsea.
Wolves have lifted the League Cup twice in their history – in 1974 and 1980 – while Chelsea have won the trophy five times, most recently in 2015.
For Wolves, it’s been a brutal season under Vitor Pereira. The Midlands club sit bottom of the Premier League with just two points from their opening nine matches, and they come into this game on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Burnley.
Yet, the EFL Cup has been a welcome distraction, Wolves have already beaten West Ham and Everton to reach this stage and will hope to make Molineux a fortress once again.
Historically, Wolves have held their own against Chelsea in recent meetings, winning three of the last five encounters.
However, the last two have both gone the way of the Londoners, including a 6-2 thumping at Molineux in August 2024 and a 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in January 2025.
Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered a setback at the weekend as they were beaten 2-1 by Sunderland, ending a four-match winning streak in all competitions. Enzo Maresca’s men currently sit ninth in the Premier League with 14 points from nine games.
The Blues edged past Lincoln City 2-1 in the third round of this competition and will be eager to bounce back before their crucial league trip to Tottenham.
Team news for Wolves v Chelsea
Wolves will once again be without young striker Leon Chiwome, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Otherwise, Pereira has a near full-strength squad to choose from.
The Portuguese coach is expected to field a strong XI, with potential starts for Hwang Hee-chan and João Gomes after both began on the bench at the weekend. Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has returned to fitness, should continue to lead the line after netting three goals in his last five appearances.
Chelsea have a longer injury list. Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended, while Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (thigh), Liam Delap (thigh), Cole Palmer (groin) and Benoît Badiashile (muscle) are all unavailable.
Maresca is likely to rotate, handing opportunities to several fringe players. Malo Gusto returns from suspension and should slot in at right-back, while Wesley Fofana, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Jorrel Hato, Jamie Gittens and Tyrique George are expected to feature. Alejandro Garnacho, who scored his first Chelsea goal at Sunderland, is set to keep his place in attack.
Expected line-ups for Wolves v Chelsea
Wolves: Johnstone; Hoever, S. Bueno, Krejci, H. Bueno; Munetsi, Gomes, Andre; Arias, Larsen, Hwang
Chelsea: Jorgensen; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato; Lavia, Santos; Gittens, Estevao, Garnacho; George
How to watch Wolves v Chelsea: TV channel, online stream
Wolves vs Chelsea kicks off at 7:45pm (UK time) on Wednesday, October 30 at Molineux Stadium.
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming available via the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
The stats for Wolves v Chelsea
- Wolves have won just two of their last 18 matches in all competitions
- They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine games
- Chelsea have won four of their last five in all competitions
- The Blues have scored in 10 of their last 11 matches
- Wolves have beaten Chelsea three times in their past five meetings at Molineux
- Chelsea’s last EFL Cup win came in 2015, while Wolves’ last was in 1980
Prediction
Wolves are capable of pushing Chelsea close, especially with home advantage, but their defensive issues are hard to ignore. Chelsea’s superior depth and attacking quality should prove decisive over 90 minutes.
Prediction: Wolves 1-2 Chelsea
