Wolves 2-6 Chelsea PLAYER RATINGS: Which Blues star scores higher than hat-trick hero Noni Madueke?

Chelsea picked up the first Premier League win of the Enzo Maresca era with a 6-2 thrashing of Wolves at Molineux on Sunday.

Nicolas Jackson gave the Blues the lead after just 98 seconds, before Wolves struck back through Matheus Cunha.

Cole Palmer and Jorgen Strand Larsen both found the net just before the break, before Noni Madueke scored a stunning 14 minute hat-trick at the start of the second half.

Joao Felix added the cherry on top for Chelsea, with a sixth goal on his second debut for the club as Maresca’s men got off the mark for the 2024-25 season.

Mail Sport’s KIERAN GILL was at Molineux and has rated the players from both teams.

The Blues put in an impressive display to ensure Enzo Maresca got his first Premier League win

The game was full of drama, but the Blues ultimately prevailed after a brilliant second half 

Wolves  

Jose Sa 4 – When a goalkeeper concedes six, all he can do is hold his hands up, even if he was left helpless by his defence for a bunch of them. Palmer’s lob was the most picturesque strike he leaked.

Matt Doherty 5 – Up against Mudryk, Doherty often won that battle in the first half, so he was given Neto as competition in the second half. Safe to say he had a much more challenged time after the change.

Yerson Mosquera 5 – Should have scored in the 10th minute when Chelsea’s mess of men allowed him a free header from a corner, but it went wide, much to his manager’s disbelief.

Toti 4.5 – Toti and Sa avoided a calamitous c**k-up when neither of them seemed to know who should take ownership of the ball. Thankfully, they cleared the danger, just.

Rayan Ait-Nouri 5 – Fantastic feet to create the leveller from Cunha for 1-1. If he wanted a cheer from Wolves’ fans, he need only foul Madueke, but his deflection helped Chelsea’s winger make it 3-2.

Joao Gomes 6 – It felt like there was more bite to Wolves’ midfield than that of Chelsea, though it became more of an equal battle in the second half as the visitors took charge.

Matheus Cunha netted his first of the season, but will be disappointed he didn’t score more 

Mario Lemina 6 – Wolves captain was among those who skated through challenges made by Caicedo and Fernandez in the first half. Thought he had scored but rocket was rightly disallowed for offside.

Hee Chan Hwang 4.5 – Frustrated the Wolves fans when he went halfheartedly into a tackle, especially as everyone else gave their all in this spicy clash. Soon replaced by Podence.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde 5.5 – Stole the ball from Caicedo in the build-up to Cunha’s leveller for 1-1, a fantastic tackle which may fly under the radar but created that entire move.

Matheus Cunha 6.5 – Thought he had equalised but disallowed for Strand Larsen’s offside earlier in the move. Never mind, because he went on to get a goal, though disappointed he did not help himself to more.

Jorgen Strand Larsen 6 – Good runs in behind and balls through the box. Knows which spaces to invade and when, and was largely helped by Chelsea’s defenders forgetting to mark the 6ft 4in lump up top.

Jorgen Strand Larsen scored his first goal for Wolves since his summer move and impressed 

Subs: 

Daniel Podence (59, for Hwang) – 5: Had little impact on the game as Wolves fought a losing battle in the second half.

Craig Dawson (67, for Ait Nouri) – 6: Came on with damage limitation in mind, but Felix got in on the party.

Rodrigo Gomes (68, for Bellegarde) – 6: Thankless task coming off the bench to try to fix a failing performance such as this.

Pablo Sarabia (68, for Cunha) – 6: Tried to get involved but passing was loose.

Tommy Doyle (90, for Lemina) – N/A

Scorers: Cunha 27′, Larsen 45+6′

Booked: Ait-Nouri 27′, Mosquera 71′

Manager: Gary O’Neil – 4.5

Wolves showed fight in the first half but somehow, that disappeared from the break onward as Chelsea made sure they took the lead and held on to it this time and then some.

Wolves showed fight in the first half but they were torn apart dramatically in the second

Chelsea (4-2-3-1)

Robert Sanchez 6.5 – Debatable as to whether he should be Chelsea’s first choice, but his quickly-taken goal-kick was fantastic, leading to Palmer’s fabulous lob that made it 2-1. Not helped by his defence at times.

Malo Gusto 6 – Should have noticed Cunha’s presence when he was all on his own to score from his right-back position. Chelsea need to cut out these mistakes to compete going forward.

Wesley Fofana 6.5 – Chelsea’s new set-piece specialist Bernardo Cueva is getting to work as Fofana helped the ball get flicked on to Jackson for 1-0. Blues still have work to do organisationally, mind.

Levi Colwill  7 – The only reason why Wolves did not take a 2-1 lead before half-time as he blocked Cunha’s attempt from being buried. Imagine how different this game could have been, were it not for that.

Nicolas Jackson opened up the scoring for The Blues in the opening minutes of the game

Marc Cucurella 7 – One ball in behind for Jackson did not lead to a goal, but it was wonderful build-up play from Chelsea and a glimpse of what Maresca wants from Cucurella and Co.

Enzo Fernandez 6 – Captain again in the absence of Reece James, but beaten too easily by Ait-Nouri as it became 1-1. In truth, Chelsea’s midfield carried a feeling of softness for large periods here.

Moises Caicedo 6 – Caicedo lost the ball in the build-up to Wolves scoring through Cunha, which became a regrettable theme. Needs to do better, both in possession and out of it.

Noni Madueke 9 – So much for Wolverhampton being a ’s***’ place! Madueke had a blast as he scored three goals in 14 minutes, all of them assisted by Palmer. Maybe he should post more insults about opposing clubs on Instagram!

Noni Madueke was Chelsea’s hat-trick hero after complaining that Wolverhampton was ‘s***’

Cole Palmer 9.5 – Gave Wayne Rooney vibes as was complaining to the referee one moment, scoring a screamer the next. Provided the corner for Jackson’s opener, assisted Madueke’s hat-trick and played a part in Felix making it 6-2. Scarily good.

Mykhailo Mudryk 5 –  Maresca is the latest manager to try to coerce his potential out of him, but he was replaced at half-time as Neto came on to face his old club and that’s when Chelsea ran riot.

Nicolas Jackson 8 –  Took less than two minutes to give Chelsea their lead after pulling to the back post at a corner – then rubbed it in the faces of Wolves fans – and set up Palmer to score his luscious lob.

Despite Madueke’s hat-trick, Cole Palmer was the star and gave out Wayne Rooney vibes

Subs: 

Pedro Neto (45, for Mudryk) – 7: Assisted Felix so he could get a goal on his second debut.

Joao Felix (68, for Jackson) – 7: He’s back, and he’s scoring, emerging from the bench as Chelsea fans sang his name.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (76, for Caicedo) – N/A

Christopher Nkunku (83, for Palmer) – N/A

Renato Veiga (83, for Cucurella) – N/A

Scorers: Jackson 2′, Palmer 45′, Madueke 29′, 58′, 63′, Felix 80′

Booked: Gusto 40′, Palmer 44′, Cucurella 71′

Manager:

Enzo Maresca – 8: He will not have liked the lack of control in the first half, but there could be no faulting Chelsea’s performance once they reemerged.