Wolverhampton welcomes Chelsea in the final match of the 18th round of the English Premier League. For the first time in many years, football will be played on Christmas Eve, and the match is guaranteed to be interesting. Not because two of the leading teams in the league are playing, but because Wolves and Chelsea are currently evenly matched as teams. If someone had said at the beginning of the season that Chelsea would be competing for a spot in the top 10 with Wolverhampton, not many people would have believed it. However, the reality is that the two teams are currently equally matched, making the outcome of the match unpredictable.
It’s important to note that rumors about the dismissal of Chelsea’s coach, Mauricio Pochettino, are growing stronger, increasing pressure on the entire team.
Injuries
In addition, Chelsea’s list of injured players, including Chalobah, Chilwell, Chukwuemeka, Cucurella, Fernandez, Fofana, James, Sanchez, Ugochukwu, Lavia, and Madueke, remains significant. The injuries to the two starting full-backs, Chilwell and James, are particularly problematic, as Chelsea is a different team without their attacking capabilities.
On the other hand, Wolverhampton’s best player so far, Pedro Neto, who missed the team’s recent matches due to injury, might return and contribute minutes. Before his injury, Pedro Neto was involved in almost all of his team’s goals, making his presence on the field a significant advantage for the Wolves.
Home/Away form
Regarding the hosts, Wolverhampton has been performing strongly at home lately, having not suffered a loss in the last six matches, including victories against Manchester City and Tottenham, draws against Aston Villa and Newcastle, and another win against Burnley, along with a somewhat surprising draw against Nottingham. In these matches, Matheus Cunha has been playing exceptionally well, with 3 goals and 2 assists in the last 6 matches. Another standout performer is Hee-Chan Hwang, who has been consistently delivering good performances. However, it’s worth noting that Hwang will leave for international duty after the New Year, affecting Wolverhampton’s lineup.
Key Players
For Chelsea, the standout player has been the young Cole Palmer, who joined from Manchester City at the beginning of the season. With every 90-minute appearance for Chelsea, Palmer proves that his decision to move was justified, showcasing goals, assists, and composure in penalty execution. Additionally, Raheem Sterling has the ability to explode in any match and score multiple goals, making Chelsea’s results unpredictable to a large extent.
My Betting Prediction
Bookmakers favor Chelsea in this match, with odds of 1.95 for their victory. However, considering Chelsea’s three consecutive away losses and Wolverhampton’s good home form against stronger opponents, the odds seem relatively low.
The odds for Wolverhampton’s victory are 3.6, and a draw is priced at 3.75. A double chance for Wolverhampton’s victory or a draw is rated at 1.84 by bet365, catching attention as a potential bet for this match. The main factors influencing this choice are Wolverhampton’s good home form, Chelsea’s recent away struggles, and the numerous injuries Pochettino has to deal with in his squad.
Another advantage for Wolverhampton in this match is that Chelsea had a tough game just a few days earlier. In the League Cup quarterfinals, Chelsea drew 1-1 away to Newcastle. Given Pochettino’s injury woes and the inability to rotate the squad, Chelsea is likely to field a less fresh team against Wolverhampton.
If I were to predict the exact result, I would say 1-1, but the match could certainly be marked as a three-way encounter. The higher odds for 1X or 1 with +0,5 in this match are what caught my attention, and if they were a bit lower, I would likely pass on it as a bet.
Finally, here are the recent matches for both teams, respectively at home and as visitors:
Recent Matches between Wolves and Chelsea
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton vs Nottingham 1:1
Wolverhampton vs Burnley 1:0
Wolverhampton vs Tottenham 2:1
Wolverhampton vs Newcastle 2:2
Wolverhampton vs Aston Villa 1:1
Wolverhampton vs Manchester City 2:1
Chelsea
Everton vs Chelsea 2:0
Manchester Utd vs Chelsea 2:1
Newcastle vs Chelsea 4:1
Tottenham vs Chelsea 1:4
Burnley vs Chelsea 1:4
