Wolves 2-1 Chelsea: Christopher Nkunku scores first goal but Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty add to Blues misery

It won’t be a Merry Christmas for Mauricio Pochettino as he watched his Chelsea side fall to a 2-1 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.

Mario Lemina’s deft header six minutes into the second half was the difference between the two sides going, who looked well-matched and good value for their respective positions in the table, before substitute Matt Doherty put the result beyond all doubt, stroking home three minutes into the 11 added on.

Christopher Nkunku scored on his debut with a flicked header three minutes later to set up a grand-stand finish, but the Black Country club held on for a big three points.

The Blues, who sat 10th and five points off ninth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion before today, saw chance after chance spurned as the story of their season continued; their profligacy proving their ultimate pitfall.

It was the visitors who had the lion’s share of the first half highlights, but Nicolas Jackson’s clumsy touch and Raheem Sterling’s lack of composure at the decisive moment were what stopped them going in at half-time with what would have been a comfortable and deserved lead.

Armando Broja, starting alongside Jackson in a revamped 4-4-2 shape, took too many touches in the early exchanges to get a shot off after excellent play from Sterling, before his airshot did not give a drilled Malo Gusto cross the finish it deserved a few moments later.

Jackson himself could have lashed his side ahead on 21 minutes after another Sterling dart and cross found the striker in acres of space at the far post, but the Senegalese could not control the pass, with a golden chance going awry.

A mistake from Joao Gomes on the halfway line saw Sterling pickpocket the Brazilian, with a four-on-Jose Sa ensuing, but Sterling, bearing down on goal, was foiled by the onrushing home ‘keeper instead of squaring the ball right, and another gilt-edged opportunity went amiss.

The hosts grew into the affair late on in the first half, and looked to finish the 45 with a flourish as Pablo Sarabia and Hwang Hee-Chan both went close; the Spaniard seeing his low drive well blocked by Thiago Silva, before Hwang fired an effort narrowly over as he hared onto a sumptuous Sarabia pass into the right channel, with Djordje Petrovic, the Chelsea keeper, in two minds about coming or staying put on his line.

The matchwinner came on 51 minutes, with Lemina nodding home a free header from Sarabia’s inswinger, but that wasn’t before the hosts had already threatened an early onslaught, with Gomes dragging an effort wide of the far post, and Toti forcing a brilliant point-blank save from Petrovic with a powerful, stooping header.

The second half was riddled with Chelsea errors as the hosts sought a second, but it was the visitors who came closest through Nkunku, who was denied by a Toti clearance off the line.

The game was put to bed as Gomes, still full of running, picked up the ball down the Wolves left, finding the underlapping run of Hugo Bueno, who squared for his fellow substitute Doherty to stroke home.

Nkunku had the final say, halving the deficit with a free header three minutes later to set up an intriguing end to the game, but the hosts clung on to grind out the victory.

Gary O’Neil’s side are now level on points with their opponents, as the Blues fall further away from the European places.

This is what happens when you buy youngsters that are dripping with potential, but are still a tad rough around the edges.

Naivety and inexperience were the biggest of Chelsea’s problems this afternoon; whether that was Nicolas Jackson’s lack of a killer touch in front of goal, Armando Broja’s dalliance in the face of a shooting chance, or the numerous bookings for dissent, kicking the ball away, or simulation, this results reeks of a project a long way from its desired result.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, themselves still only 22, were big misses in the engine room, but the nitty attitude issues that are ironed out later on in a career were remarkably evident here.

They could cost Chelsea further in the next game, with Cole Palmer, the Blues’ standout performer this term, and Sterling, the visitors’ best player here, both suspended for the visit of Crystal Palace after the former was cautioned for a needless kicking away of the ball, while the latter was a tad more unfortunate, barged in the box by Joao Gomes, but adjudged to have dived by David Coote.

They lack that sharp, cutting edge, that top sides have, and that is exactly what happens when you get rid of your experienced core in favour of expensive potential, and they are paying for it in the short term.

It was a close call between the Brazilian and his midfield colleague Lemina, who got the first goal, but Gomes edges it.

He was all-action, asserting his authority on the battle in the middle of the park, and showing those in Chelsea navy blue how to conduct yourself as a 22-year-old Premier League footballer. He was exemplary in the challenge, tidy in possession, and did not stop running for the full 101 minutes played at Molineux.

He was also a threat going forwards; unlucky to see his effort arrow narrowly wide of the far post in the early exchanges of the second half.

An excellent performance.

Wolves: Sa 6, Dawson 6, Toti 7, Kilman 7, Semedo 6, Lemina 7, Gomes 8, A-Nouri 7, Sarabia 6, Hwang 6, Cunha 6. Subs: S Bueno 6, Doyle 6, Doherty 6, H Bueno 6.

Chelsea: Petrovic 6, Gusto 6, Disasi 6, Silva 6, Colwill 6, Ugochukwu 5, Gallagher 5, Sterling 7, Palmer 5, Jackson 5, Broja 5. Subs: Nkunku 6, Mudryk 6, Maatsen 6, Badishile 6, Madueke 6.

32′: GREAT SAVE! It’s worked back to the last man on the halfway line, Joao Gomes, who’s robbed by Sterling, and suddenly it’s four Chelsea players versus Jose Sa. Sterling goes alone, but Sa, rushing out hurriedly, makes the save with his feet. What a chance!

48′: WHAT A SAVE! A fantastic start to the half from the hosts as Gomes whips in a delicious ball, and Toti stoops low to power a header towards goal at the far post, but Petrovic denies him from point-blank range!

51′: GOAL! They’re in front, and at last, the deadlock is broken! Mario Lemina ghosts into an area to glance the inswinging Sarabia delivery into the far corner, and it’s 1-0!

64′: OFF THE LINE! Chelsea come the closest yet for an equaliser, as Toti just about denies Nkunku a debut goal, as the Frenchman stabbed an effort towards goal.

90+3′: GOAL! It’s two, and it’s a merry Christmas Eve for the old gold. Matt Doherty puts it beyond Chelsea, sidefooting into the corner after more good play by Gomes down the left. Hugo Bueno crosses, and finds Doherty unmarked, and the Irishman strokes home to put it beyond all doubt.

90+6′: GOAL! Sterling crosses as Chelsea move forward, and Nkunku finds space in the box to glance home a debut goal. Game on!