Chelsea Survive Epic Collapse: Blues Cling to Carabao Cup Dreams Despite Blowing Commanding 3-0 Advantage Against Wolves

Chelsea let out a collective exhale of relief as the referee's whistle echoed through Molineux Stadium following their Carabao Cup fourth round clash on Wednesday evening, having narrowly defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers in a thrilling encounter.

The away side, donned in their pristine white kit, surged to a commanding 3–0 advantage before the break in the West Midlands, courtesy of goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and the consistently brilliant Estêvão.

However, Wolves mounted a spirited comeback with strikes from Tolu Arokodare and David Møller Wolfe, applying intense pressure on Enzo Maresca's squad. Jamie Gittens then extended the lead back to two goals in the dying moments, before Møller Wolfe's second strike of the evening ensured a tense conclusion.

This marked another evening of wholesale squad rotation for Maresca, mirroring his approach from the previous week's Champions League fixture against Ajax. Only Josh Acheampong retained his starting position following the shocking weekend loss to Sunderland, as the manager sought to maintain squad freshness.

The match signaled Liam Delap's comeback from an extended injury layoff since his recent Chelsea arrival, though it concluded disappointingly with a dismissal for the eager forward.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Wolves (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings courtesy of FotMob*

GK: Filip Jörgensen—5.8: An uncertain beginning to proceedings, though he produced a crucial stop at 3–1 that proved decisive by the final whistle. A commanding catch deep in added time as Wolves launched an aerial assault was equally important.

RB: Malo Gusto—7.4: A solid 60-minute display. Chelsea's performance declined following his departure.

CB: Josh Acheampong—6.5: Lost composure when Wolves netted their third, failing to handle what should have been his responsibility.

CB: Tosin Adarabioyo (c)—6.8: Already facing criticism from supporters, this display won't improve matters. Squandered a promising header to seal victory while Wolves pressed forward. Too passive and sluggish on numerous occasions.

LB: Jorrel Hato—7.3: Completed the match with 95% pass completion and contributed an assist.

CM: Roméo Lavia—6.6: Maintained excellent passing accuracy during his hour-long stint, though his performance was marred by an error that led to Wolves' comeback goal.

CM: Andrey Santos—8.5: Opened the scoring perfectly with a forward surge and clinical finish. His pressing instincts created both the opening goal and Chelsea's third strike.

RM: Estêvão—7.5: Continues demonstrating why his acquisition was a masterstroke by the recruitment team. Displays maturity and poise beyond his years and experience. Another excellent goal tonight.

AM: Facundo Buonanotte—7.0: Enjoyed plenty of possession from the attacking midfield role but lacked the creative spark and danger posed by Estêvão and Gittens on the flanks.

LM: Jamie Gittens—9.2: Wolves struggled to contain him defensively, with the former Borussia Dortmund winger's explosive pace proving decisive. Provided two assists.

ST: Tyrique George—7.6: Capitalized on his chance once again. Netted a goal showcasing predatory instincts before shifting to a wider role later.

Unused substitutes: Robert Sánchez (GK), Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Moisés Caicedo, João Pedro.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-1-4-1)

Starting XI: José Sá; Matt Doherty, Yerson Mosquera, Toti Gomes, David Møller Wolfe; Emmanuel Agbadou; Jackson Tchatchoua, João Gomes, Fer López, Hwang Hee-chan; Tolu Arokodare.

Substitutes used: Rodrigo Gomes, Ladislav Krejčí, Marshall Munetsi, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

Player of the Match: Jamie Gittens

Wolves 3–4 Chelsea—Match Events at Molineux

Chelsea supporters needed only five minutes to witness their team take the lead. Wolves' careless play gifted possession in their defensive third as Gittens collected the ball and fed Santos. The Brazilian's 20-yard effort lacked power and precision, yet still comfortably beat the sluggish José Sá between the posts.

George's second goal arrived 10 minutes later, perfectly reflecting the match flow. Once again, it proved too simple, with Gittens permitted to advance into a threatening position down Chelsea's left wing before crossing for George to convert from close range.

The scoreline nearly reached 3–0 immediately when the Gittens-George partnership struck again—though this time the final touch went astray. However, just as Wolves began asserting themselves in the first half's closing stages, Chelsea indeed secured their third goal.

Sá, clearly demonstrating why he'd been sidelined for over a month, exposed Fer López with a pass that left the defender under pressure facing his own goal. Santos quickly pounced to regain possession for Chelsea, allowing Estêvão to cleverly chip over the goalkeeper.

Despite their comfortable advantage, Chelsea appeared susceptible defensively. Arokodare wasted a golden opportunity in the first half's final moments before capitalizing shortly after the restart. Cutting inside from the left flank, the Nigerian international curled his right-footed shot into the far corner. Roméo Lavia bore responsibility for the defensive lapse with his wayward pass.

With Wolves threatening a comeback after reducing the deficit, Arokodare perhaps should have doubled his tally with his third chance around the hour mark, directing his effort wide from a promising position following Hwang Hee-chan's delivery.

Wolves had dominated proceedings since Chelsea's third goal and were denied another only by Filip Jørgensen's fingertip save that deflected substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen's attempt wide. Then, the margin suddenly narrowed to 3–2. Yerson Mosquera's long throw was flicked on three times by Wolves players, eventually finding Møller Wolfe unmarked at the far post after Emmanuel Agbadou provided the final touch. The left-back struck a precise half-volley.

Delap initially received a yellow card on 79 minutes for fouling Mosquera, before seeing red just six minutes later. The £30 million ($39.6 million) striker's challenge was reckless and avoidable, launching himself at Agbadou when the ball was beyond reach.

The excitement continued. Gittens appeared to have settled matters for Chelsea after Jorrel Hato won an aerial duel in midfield, with the loose ball inviting the winger to strike from distance. He obliged from 20 yards, his shot cannoning off the near post's inside before nestling in the net. That should have concluded Chelsea's victory, yet poor defending and failure to clear danger from both center-backs allowed Wolves to launch another attack, presenting Møller Wolfe with his second goal—a deflected effort that arced over Jørgensen.

Wolves vs. Chelsea Half-Time Statistics

Wolves vs.Chelsea Full Time Statistics