If Chelsea were to ask for a statement performance this early in the season, Saturday’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers might just be it.
As they proved last season, Wolves are often a very difficult team to play against for teams in the top six. They play a very solid defensive system and are very quick and decisive on the break.
For Chelsea to go away from home and win 5-2 at Molineux suggests that something is starting go right for the team.
True, two second-half goals from Wolves were conceded rather too easily and made for a bit of a nervous ending. But a hat-trick from Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori’s first-ever goal for Chelsea, and a late goal from Mason Mount to seal the victory certainly makes you feel better about not keeping a clean sheet.
After half an hour, though, you wouldn’t have seen this score coming. Both teams set up in a back three, and for 30 minutes, neither team created any real chances. Antonio Rudiger came the closest when his near-post flick from a corner narrowly missed the target.
But after 31 minutes, the match came to life. Tomori was the first to get on the scoresheet with a debut goal to remember. Taking aim from 30 yards out after the ball broke kindly for him after Mount lost possession, Tomori curled a wicked shot that bamboozled Rui Patricio and settled into the top corner of the net.
Tomori continued getting into the action, and just minutes later, Tomori came forward again in the attack. This time, he found Mount just inside the area, but Mount was tugged to the ground. The referee played advantage, and the ball rolled to Abraham who swiveled and rolled the ball into the net for Chelsea’s second.
Abraham would get his brace before half-time when he calmly directed a header into the top corner after a good cross from Marcos Alonso.
His hat-trick came soon after the start of the second half when he collected a Jorginho pass and bamboozled Conor Coady with a bit of skill and pace before finding the bottom corner of the net.
Wolves fought back, though Kepa Arrizabalaga could well have done better for both. First, Roman Saiss had a free header from a Wolves corner, but Arrizabalaga could only parry it wide where it bounced off Abraham and into the goal.
Then Matt Doherty found space for a shot on the right-hand side of the area, but Arrizabalaga’s save fell right at the feet of Patrick Cutrone to simply poke into the net.
But Mason Mount spoiled any hopes of a Wolves comeback just before the full-time whistle when he collected a pass from Michy Batshuayi, cut inside the defender, and steered the shot into the net for Chelsea’s fifth.
