Gary O’Neil will hope to keep his Premier League record against Chelsea intact as Wolves host the Blues on Sunday.
In his first season at Wolves, O’Neil secured two wins from two against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Arguably, now is the best time to play the Blues, who are very much a side in transition under new manager Enzo Maresca.
It’s set to be a great battle at Molineux between the two clubs, with one Wolves star having the potential to be the difference maker.
Joao Gomes will be crucial for Wolves against Chelsea
Being the dedicated coach that he is, O’Neil would have tirelessly studied Chelsea’s opening day defeat to Manchester City.
During the fixture, it would have been difficult for the manager to ignore the frailties that lie in Maresca’s midfield, with the £220m combination of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo not living up to expectation.
What O’Neil has that Maresca currently doesn’t is a competent pivot in the middle of the park, with Joao Gomes being 50% of the success that Wolves have in the engine room.
The Brazilian, who has been lauded for his ‘massive growth’ over his time at the club by Lee Naylor, should take note of what won the game for Man City against Sunday’s opponent.
City midfielder Mateo Kovacic ran the show against his former club, which is something Gomes can now do for Wolves, taking advantage of Chelsea’s lack of chemistry where it matters most.
Getting to challenges first, splitting the lines with passes and supporting defensively is what the Brazilian knows best, with his presence able to act as Wolves’ shining light in what is set to be a highly-contested midfield battle.
Wolves team news v Chelsea
Another element that could help Gomes to shine is the return of Matheus Cunha, who started on the bench on the opening day against Arsenal.
O’Neil shared a fitness update ahead of the Chelsea clash, relieving fans by sharing that the Brazilian is ready to play on Sunday.
By having Cunha just ahead of him in the number 10 role, Gomes will be armed with a reliable outlet to push play forward in what could be a decisive boost for the Old Gold.
The manager confirmed that Wolves have no absences to report, with a fully fit squad ready to challenge for three points for the first time at Molineux this season.