MY ACCOUNT
– Chelsea have deserved more than one win in their last five away games
– Wolves have lost two of their last three home PL games and were lucky to beat Spurs
– Recommended Bet: Chelsea to win
First up for the returning Chelsea interim manager, Frank Lampard, is a trip to Molineux to face a Wolves team that remains embroiled in a relegation battle.
Although Julen Lopetegui’s men dug out a vital point against Nottingham Forest last weekend, the Old Gold are now just one point clear of the drop zone again.
Chelsea, meanwhile, went back to the future when they re-appointed Lampard just four days after sacking Graham Potter.
Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa was the final straw for Potter with Lampard back at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as a spectator for a goalless draw with Liverpool in which the Blues spurned several good chances.
Team news
Hee Chan Hwang is available for the visit of the Blues, but Ruben Neves begins a two-match ban and Jonny is still suspended following his red card against Leeds last month.
Daniel Podence will also be in the squad, despite having been charged by the Football Association with spitting at Brennan Johnson during last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Wolves are contesting the charge that could see their top scorer hit with a six-match suspension.
Hugo Bueno could return to the back four in place of Toti while Matheus Nunes should come in for Neves with Joao Moutinho an option in the number 10 position.
Meanwhile, some recent Chelsea regulars will be worried for their place after the return of Lampard with Kepa Arrizabalaga among them.
The Spain international was replaced by Edouard Mendy for most of Lampard’s first spell at the club and could be axed with the ex-Rennes keeper returning to Chelsea’s bench in midweek.
Marc Cucurella, who followed Potter from Brighton, could make way if Lampard chooses to return to a back four and that switch might also help accommodate the return of Mason Mount to the starting XI.
Armando Broja, Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta were the only Chelsea players sidelined for the visit of Liverpool on Tuesday.
The stats
Wolves are winless in their past four Premier League games against Chelsea, drawing three and losing one of their meetings since a 2-1 home win over Lampard’s Blues in December 2020.
Lampard was the last Chelsea boss to oversee a victory at Molineux, however, which came in impressive fashion as his young side ran out 5-2 winners there in September 2019.
Chelsea will start the game in 11th place in the Premier League table.
This being their 30th match of the season, it is the latest into a campaign that they have played a league match while in the bottom half of the table since their penultimate fixture of 1995-96.
Prediction
Both sides are lacking confidence again with Wolves’ recent run of only one win and two draws from their last seven keeping them firmly in the relegation dogfight.
Lopetegui’s team have scored in each of their last four games, but they remain a reactive side that are almost forced to chase the game when their initial inertia puts them in trouble.
The Spaniard clearly understands the weaknesses of his squad, which are in the attacking department, and seeks to lessen their workload by setting up in an overtly defensive fashion.
Lampard needs to get Chelsea playing with greater confidence ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid next week.
Their only bad performance in the last five away games was at Tottenham and, having deserved victory over Liverpool in midweek, only a slight tweak here or there might be needed to get the job done at Molineux.
Back Chelsea to win at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet.
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