Chelsea's pursuit of top four finish faces another stern test as they prepare to host relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Monday night. The Blues, winless in their last five league outings, aim to close the 13-point gap to league leaders Liverpool, while Wolves fight to escape the bottom three in what promises to be a gripping encounter.
Current struggles and injury concerns
The Blues' recent form has hit rock bottom, with their latest result being a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, where captain Reece James pulled them level through a late free-kick. Chelsea's position in the league table has taken a hit, as they now occupy sixth place with 37 points. Their attacking prowess, which has yielded 41 goals this season - the fourth-best in the league - has dried up lately with just four goals in their previous five matches.
The defensive unit hasn't fared much better, managing only four clean sheets in 21 games and letting in seven goals in their last four league encounters. The only bright spot for Chelsea has been their home record, having won 10 out of 15 matches at Stamford Bridge across all competitions.
Manager Enzo Maresca's team selection headaches continue to mount as Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Levi Colwill, and Romeo Lavia missed Friday's training session. Their availability remains up in the air pending late fitness assessments. The squad is already stretched thin with Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sidelined for extended periods.
Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable due to a doping violation suspension. On a positive note, Moises Caicedo is set to return to his natural midfield position after filling in at right-back during the week.
Wolves' fight for survival
Vitor Pereira's Wolves find themselves in a precarious 17th position, tied on points with Ipswich Town who sit in the relegation zone. Their defensive frailties were exposed in their recent 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, contributing to their joint-worst defensive record in the league with 48 goals conceded.
However, their attack has shown promise, netting 31 goals - more than any other bottom-nine side except Tottenham. The visitors will have to cope without Boubacar Traore, Toti Gomes, and Yerson Mosquera, though striker Matheus Cunha is expected to return after recovering from illness.
Key players and predicted lineup
Chelsea's hopes rest on the shoulders of Reece James, fresh from his heroic free-kick against Bournemouth. Noni Madueke, who scored three goals in the previous meeting with Wolves, will look to replicate that performance. Nicolas Jackson aims to end his goal drought as the main striker.
For Wolves, Joao Gomes will pull the strings in midfield, while Matheus Cunha poses an attacking threat. The makeshift defence featuring Matt Doherty and Santiago Bueno faces a tough task against Chelsea's attack.
Chelsea's predicted lineup vs Wolves (4-2-3-1): Sanchez, James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson.
A must-win for Chelsea
Both teams enter this match with clear objectives - Chelsea seeking to revive their top-four hopes and Wolves battling for survival. The Blues' 6-2 victory at Molineux earlier this season will give them confidence, but with both sides desperate for points, Monday's clash looks set to produce an intense battle at Stamford Bridge.