WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND — Cole Palmer delivered a masterclass performance with a clinical hat-trick as Chelsea cruised to a 3-1 victory over basement club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium. The visitors' dominance was evident from the opening whistle, with Palmer's treble inside the first 38 minutes effectively ending the contest before halftime in this Premier League encounter.
Chelsea's control of proceedings was immediate and suffocating. Palmer opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 13th minute, calmly slotting his left-footed effort into the bottom right corner after Wolves conceded a foul in the box. The visitors continued to press their advantage, pinning the hosts back with wave after wave of attacks. Chelsea dominated the ball with 66.9% possession, pinning Wolverhampton Wanderers back for long stretches and creating numerous opportunities to extend their lead.
The second penalty arrived in the 35th minute, and Palmer once again stepped up with ice in his veins. This time he directed his left-footed strike to the bottom left corner, giving José Sá no chance and doubling Chelsea's advantage. But the 22-year-old wasn't finished. Just three minutes later, Palmer completed his hat-trick with a moment of individual brilliance, receiving Marc Cucurella's perfectly weighted through ball before curling a sublime left-footed shot from the centre of the box into the top left corner. The finish was exquisite, leaving Sá rooted to his spot as the ball nestled into the side netting.
Wolves emerged from the interval with renewed purpose, desperate to salvage something from the wreckage. Their persistence was rewarded nine minutes into the second half when Mateus Mané's right-footed effort from the centre of the box cannoned off the left post. From the resulting corner, Adam Armstrong rose highest to flick on a header, and Tolu Arokodare was perfectly positioned to bundle home a right-footed shot from very close range into the bottom right corner in the 54th minute. The goal briefly ignited hope among the home faithful, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.
Chelsea's defensive organization ensured there would be no dramatic comeback. Robert Sánchez was called into action on multiple occasions, making three saves including a crucial stop to deny Arokodare's header from the right side of the box in the 64th minute after Yerson Mosquera's assist. The Wolves striker received treatment following that attempt, highlighting the physical nature of the contest. Deep into stoppage time, Sánchez was alert again to palm away Rodrigo Gomes' header from the centre of the box, with Hugo Bueno providing the headed assist in the 92nd minute.
The statistics painted a clear picture of Chelsea's superiority. Beyond their possession dominance, the visitors registered 15 shots to Wolves' 11, with six on target compared to the hosts' three. Chelsea also edged the corner count 4-3, though both sides committed a similar number of fouls—10 for the visitors and nine for the home side. The match remained relatively disciplined, with Marc Cucurella receiving a yellow card for handball in the 73rd minute and Adam Armstrong cautioned for a bad foul on Andrey Santos in first-half stoppage time.
Enzo Fernández orchestrated proceedings from midfield for Chelsea, dictating the tempo and creating opportunities throughout. His through ball nearly set up Pedro Neto for a fourth goal in the 87th minute, but the header sailed just wide. Moisés Caicedo provided steel in the middle of the park, winning a crucial free kick in the attacking half in the 85th minute after Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's foul. For Wolves, Angel Gomes worked tirelessly in midfield before being substituted in the 80th minute following an injury concern, while Yerson Mosquera posed occasional aerial threats from set pieces.
The match was punctuated by several injury delays, with Andrey Santos requiring treatment on multiple occasions before eventually being replaced by Jorrel Hato in the 84th minute. Malo Gusto also needed attention in the 69th minute but managed to continue before being substituted for Josh Acheampong in the 75th minute. Chelsea manager made further changes to manage the game, withdrawing João Pedro and Palmer for Liam Delap and Alejandro Garnacho respectively in the 61st and 75th minutes.
For Wolves, the defeat extends their miserable campaign and leaves them seven points adrift of safety. Their attacking efforts, while spirited in patches, lacked the quality and conviction needed to trouble a well-drilled Chelsea backline. Matt Doherty was withdrawn at halftime for Rodrigo Gomes as manager Gary O'Neil sought to inject fresh impetus, but the damage had already been inflicted by Palmer's first-half heroics.
The victory represents Chelsea's fourth win in their last five matches across all competitions, demonstrating the momentum building under their management. Palmer's hat-trick takes his tally to impressive heights this season, cementing his status as one of the Premier League's most lethal finishers. His ability to convert from the spot with such composure, combined with his technical excellence for the third goal, showcased why he's become indispensable to Chelsea's attacking ambitions.
This result keeps Chelsea firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification, with the Blues now sitting fourth on 28 points. Buoyed by this result, Chelsea now prepare for Tottenham Hotspur on February 8. For Wolves, the situation grows increasingly desperate with each passing week, and they'll need a dramatic turnaround to avoid what appears an inevitable return to the Championship.