Wolves managed to survive a late scare to oversee a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Molineux.
It was the perfect way for Gary O’Neil’s side to bounce back after they lost 3-0 to West Ham last game.
Multiple players were on top form with Mario Lemina having another great game as he netted the opener. Joao Gomes and substitute Matt Doherty also put in great performances as Wolves moved up to 11th in the table, level on points with Chelsea.
While the visitors certainly had chances, Wolves defended well and took their chances when they were presented to them.
Now we look at four things we learned after Wolves saw off Chelsea at Molineux.
Mario Lemina is Wolves’ most important player
While there is no doubt that Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan have been sensational for Wolves this campaign, Lemina is by far Wolves’ most important player.
The midfielder cuts out absolutely everything in the centre of the park. His partnership with Joao Gomes has really come on over the course of the season and their ability was on full show against Chelsea.
Lemina stopped a certain goal early on with a great challenge before heading in the opener in the second half. When Chelsea pressed for the equaliser, Lemina ensured he was on hand to intercept any loose balls and start potential counterattacks.
Now approaching a year at the club since signing from Nice. The midfielder might well be the best value for money signing Wolves have made since returning to the Premier League.
Molineux continues to be a fortress
Chelsea became the latest victim of Wolves’ success at home.
Now, unbeaten in their last eight games, O’Neil has turned his home ground into a fortress over the course of the season.
When the fixture list was released, many fans feared when Wolves would win their first home win. O’Neil’s side faced a particularly tough run at home and these fears looked to come true when they were battered 4-1 against Brighton in their first home game of the season.
However, since then, Wolves have only lost one more time, a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool before becoming unbeatable at Molineux.
O’Neil has masterminded victories over Man City, Spurs and now Chelsea. Hopefully, this run can continue going into their final home fixture of 2023 against Everton next weekend.
Matt Doherty rolls back the years
When Wolves returned to the Premier League, Matt Doherty picked up a great knack of popping up with a goal for Wolves.
This was seen multiple times across the 2018/19 season, the most memorable of which saw he net a 95th-minute winner in a 2-1 away win against Newcastle.
Since re-signing for the club in the summer, Doherty has struggled for game time but was given a late cameo against Chelsea to try and see out the game.
However, the full-back went one step further and scored what would be a crucial goal to ensure Wolves won the game. It was a relatively easy finish for the defender but he made sure he did the job as he scored his first Premier League goal since he returned to England.
Gary O’Neil masterfully bounces back
It is no secret that Wolves were poor last weekend. After losing 3-0 to West Ham, a back four did not work as the visitors were outdone by the hosts.
It looked as if Wolves may fall to another defeat against Chelsea after the visitors started on top at Molineux. However, after a stop in play, O’Neil used this time to change things up and Wolves, from there, cruised the next hour.
Even the substitutes that came on had a massive positive impact on the game. Tommy Doyle helped settle the midfield more and push the hosts further forward. Hugo Bueno and Doherty also combined to get Wolves’ second and make sure they bounced back with a win.