"Still aren’t 100% there" - Mark Lawrenson makes his scoreline prediction for Wolverhampton vs Chelsea
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has forecast a win for Chelsea in their upcoming Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers. In his weekly column with Paddy Power News, the former Liverpool defender claimed that while the Blues aren't at their best, they could make it three wins in a row.
He said:
Chelsea won in the Carabao Cup in the week and won at the weekend. I’m going for them to make it a hat-trick. They’ve started to look a bit better but Chelsea still aren’t 100% there. Wolves 1-2 Chelsea.
The Blues have endured a tough 2023-24 Premier League campaign under new manager Mauricio Pochettino and find themselves 10th in the table. However, they are coming off two consecutive wins, a 2-0 defeat of Sheffield United last weekend before a penalty shootout victory over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup.
They received a massive boost in the midweek cup fixture with summer signing Christopher Nkunku making his debut for the club, coming off the bench for the last half hour. The Frenchman, who finished as the Bundesliga's joint-top scorer last season, could be a massive addition to a struggling Blues squad.
Wolves, on the other hand, are 13th in the table. They have just one win in their last five games and will be hoping for a strong result against Chelsea to move towards the top half of the table.
Mauricio Pochettino confirms Chelsea star will miss clash against Wolves
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that star midfielder Enzo Fernandez will miss their upcoming Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Argentinian is reportedly suffering from a hernia but is expected to make a return soon.
Speaking to the press ahead of the game, Pochettino said:
“Enzo is going to be out of the game against Wolverhampton. We are going to see if he can be involved again as soon as possible."
“You already have the information that it was a hernia and he also didn’t feel well. We are going to give treatment with the doctor."
“For me, it is not going to be a problem. I think he is going to be as soon as possible again with the group.”
The 22-year-old was removed after just 30 minutes of action against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, with Pochettino stating that he was suffering from an illness. Conor Gallagher and Moises Caicedo are likely to line up in midfield in his absence.
Fernandez has been an integral part of the Chelsea squad since he was signed from Benfica for £107 million in the 2023 winter transfer window. He has made 20 appearances this season, bagging three goals and one assist.