Wolves host Chelsea after losing their opening contest to Arsenal. It's time to continue with our Premier League odds series with a Wolves-Chelsea prediction and pick.
This matchup's timing is poetic, as Wolverhampton recently sold Pedro Neto to the Blues. Neto was subbed on in the second half of Chelsea's loss to Man City, taking one shot in 32 minutes. The club announced Wednesday that it's giving Raheem Sterling's No. 19 to Neto, as Sterling doesn't intend on staying. Also, the Blues brought in fellow Portuguese forward Joao Felix. It's unknown at this point how first-year manager Enzo Maresca will assemble the new-look attack, but the influx of talent should help the club apply more pressure on opponent backlines.
The Wanderers, of course, are in selling mode. In addition to Neto, they sold English center back Max Kilman to West Ham. Forward Daniel Podence could be let go of imminently as well, as the team looks to prioritize cheap players 25 years old or younger. The Wolves aren't at a loss for promising talent, though, as Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha, who scored a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge in February, still leads the attack. Additionally, the Wanderers have won their last three league matches against Chelsea, so Maresca's squad can't take them lightly.
Here are the Premier League odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Premier League Odds: Wolves-Chelsea Odds
Wolves: +350
Chelsea: -135
Draw: +300
Over 2.5 goals: -176
Under 2.5 goals: +131
How to Watch Wolves vs. Chelsea
Time: 9:00 AM ET/6:00 AM PT
TV: Peacock/Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Premier League.
Stream: (Click Here for Free Trial)
Why Wolves Will Win
Chelsea have to face Swiss side Servette in the Europa Conference League Playoff on Thursday, so the club could be fatigued depending on Maresca's rotations. They won 2-0 as Christopher Nkunku and Nomi Madueke scored.
Additionally, the Wolves proved they can be competitive against the league's elite, as they held Arsenal to a 2-0 result, with 47% possession and three shots on target. That's not a bad showing for a club that's rebuilding. Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodrigo Gomes could threaten the Blues if they're more clinical with their chances in this match, while Jose Sa showed that he was up to the task with four saves last week. This will be another uphill battle for the Wolves, but a win is not out of reach.
Why Chelsea Will Win
Maresca's squad still needs to feel itself out with all of the new ingredients in the kitchen. A new coach and two new attackers will most likely result in some discombobulation. However, Chelsea is more talented than Wolverhampton, and Cole Palmer will surely be a handful for their backline to deal with. Fellow attacker Nicolas Jackson threatened City last week as well, so that duo along with the newest signings will most likely result in at least a goal or two for the Blues. Their performance against City was respectable considering the circumstances, as Maresca's complex defensive tactics will take some time for the squad to get used to.
Final Wolves-Chelsea Prediction & Pick
While Chelsea aren't at the level of England's top clubs, they're far ahead of Wolverhampton. The London club will get its first three points of the season on Sunday as Gary O'Neil's side continues to find itself. The Wolves probably won't gain momentum until after the current transfer window is over, as their selling habits make it hard to project who will be on the squad as the season plays out. The talent gap in this match should be enough to get the Blues the win but don't be surprised by a close result. A 2-1 Chelsea victory seems appropriate here.
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Final Wolves-Chelsea Prediction & Pick: Chelsea ML (-135)
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