Following disappointing two-goal defeats last weekend, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea will both aim to secure their first Premier League points of the season in their upcoming clash at Molineux on

Sunday.

Gary ‘Neil’s squad suffered a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal in their opening match, while Chelsea were outplayed by Manchester City before redeeming themselves in European competition.

Wolves entered their match against a team they hadn’t managed to keep a clean sheet against since 1979. It was no shock when they conceded the first goal at the Emirates, with Kai Havertz heading in a cross from Bukayo Saka after 25 minutes.

Despite Arsenal’s inability to extend their lead immediately, Wolves were unable to capitalize, struggling in the final third. Their defeat was sealed when Havertz and Saka combined again for Arsenal’s second goal.

While O’Neil could take some pride in Wolves’ overall performance in North

London, he acknowledged that Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, had the clinical finishing his team lacked. This marked

Wolves’ fourth consecutive opening-day loss.

Returning to their home ground at

Molineux may not offer much solace to Wolves supporters, as the team lost four of their final five home games in the 2024-25 Premier League season. Their only victory in that stretch was a 2-1 win over relegated

Luton Town.

In fact, Wolves’ six home defeats in 2024 are more than any other Premier League team this calendar year. If O’Neil’s side fails again, he will be the first Wolves manager since Terry Connor in 2012 to lose five consecutive top-flight matches.

Both O’Neil and his Chelsea counterpart, Enzo Maresca, can relate to the frustration of two-goal losses to Premier League title contenders. Even though Manchester City appeared to be in cruise control at Stamford Bridge last weekend, they still secured the expected three points.

Erling Haaland predictably opened the scoring for the champions, followed by Mateo Kovacic-once a Chelsea player – who outmaneuvered the Blues’ current midfielders to score, though goalkeeper Robert Sanchez could have done better.

Frustration among Chelsea fans grew during the first half of Thursday’s

Conference League playoff against

Servette, as the team was booed off the pitch after a goalless 45 minutes. However, Christopher Nkunku’s penalty and a powerful strike from Noni Madueke eventually saved Chelsea from further embarrassment.

Chelsea, who won away from Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest last year, is looking for its third straight Premier League away victory on Sunday. However, Wolves jaws have frequently proven to be too tough to crack. Chelsea is never far from the off-field headlines regarding their astounding squad size and ostracization of celebrated names.

In fact, Chelsea has dropped their past three meetings with the hosts on Sunday, falling short 2-1 at Molineux on Christmas Eve 2023 and then losing 4-2 at home in February, when Matheus Cunha became just the fourth player to score a Premier League hat-trick at Stamford Bridge on a visiting team.

As a result, Captain Reece James could be the lone enforced absence for the Blues (the right-back is both suspended and recovering from a thigh injury). Maresca made nine changes for the Conference League, so anticipate a ton of changes.

Romeo Lavia, who received praise for his performance against Man City, ought to be first in line for a promotion from the reserve, but Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are still unsigned and are searching for new teams before the transfer deadline on August 30.

Maresca has hinted that Pedro Neto could only be able to start on the bench at his old haunt, and that Joao Felix’s second club debut will be too soon when the game finally arrives.

The hat-trick hero of Stamford Bridge, Cunha, was only given a run-out in the second half at the Emirates. However, gameweek two, when O’Neil may choose to start a roster devoid of an English player for the second straight, will undoubtedly see a recall to the starting lineup for the Brazilian.

About Chelsea, Maresca stated during the thrashing of Servette that PFA Young Player of the Year Cole Palmer had reported experiencing hamstring strain, but he does not think the problem will keep

Palmer out of action this weekend.

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