Chelsea – Wolverhampton, getty images January 20, 2025, 11:00 a.m

[ * ] — position in the Premier League standings

[6] CHELSEA – WOLVERHAMPTON [17] MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 10 p.m. STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON. THE CHIEF REFEREE IS SIMON HOOPER. LIVE ON SETANTA SPORTS

No matter how the current head coach of Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, denied it, even the day before, many fans of “pensioners” really managed to believe that their team is one of the participants in the championship race. There were very obvious reasons for this: the Londoners were in exemplary form, they looked on par against their direct rivals and we briefly saw Chelsea in second place in the league table.

However, the Italian specialist’s words are still prophetic, because in the last few weeks, Chelsea managed to destroy the “medal” potential that the team had been gaining for several months. The reasons for this are quite obvious: first of all, the injuries of key players in the defensive line affected, while we should also not forget the negative information background due to the doping scandal involving our Mykhailo Mudryk – this aspect also could not but affect the mood within the team in a negative way. Before today’s match, Chelsea is in sixth place, but in case of a winning result, the “retirees” will at least temporarily return to the top four.

As for Wolverhampton, despite struggling for survival since the start of the season and being one of the main contenders for relegation, Wolves have deserved more positive reviews than negative ones over the last few weeks. The moment when the coaching change benefited the team and gave it the same positive momentum, because after the change of Gary O’Neill to Vitor Pereira, Wolverhampton was able to leave the relegation zone for the first time in a long time.

Of course, Wolverhampton’s current position is too shaky, and the dependence in attack on the performance and form of Mateusz Cunha is too strong and obvious. Nevertheless, if earlier we could confidently call the “wolves” the main contenders for relegation to the Championship, now everything looks less obvious. The big question remains whether Wolverhampton’s current squad has the class and strength to make a breakthrough and keep themselves out of the unwanted relegation zone.

According to the bookmakers, Enzo Maresca’s wards are the favorites for the upcoming confrontation. For example, odds of 1.43 are offered for Chelsea to win, while Wolverhampton’s potential success is estimated at 6.80. The probability of a draw is represented by a coefficient of 5.10.

INDICATIVE COMPOSITIONS CHELSEA: R. Sanchez — James, Chalobah, Colville, Cucurella — Enzo, Caicedo — Madueke, Palmer, Sancho — Nicholas Jackson

WOLVERHAMPTON : Sa — Doherty, Bueno, Agbadou — Semedu, Gomez, Andre, Ait-Nouri — Gedesh, Larsen – Kunya

Will not play: Badyashil, V. Fofana, Mudrick, Dewsbury Hall — Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez, Kalajdzic, Toti, Lemina

In question: Colville, Enzo, Palmer, Lavia — …

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