Live match preview – Wolves vs Chelsea 19.12.2021

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Wolves vs Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday; kick-off 2pm.

Team news

Wolves duo Fabio Silva and Yerson Mosquera have tested positive for coronavirus.

On-loan South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan is doubtful because of an injury he suffered in the 1-0 win at Brighton last time out while fellow attacker Silva and defender Mosquera have recorded positive lateral flow tests.

Wolves are awaiting the outcome of the follow-up PCR tests ahead of a fixture which is set to be one of only five in the top-flight taking place this weekend, with four on Saturday postponed because of outbreaks at several clubs.

Thomas Tuchel has admitted Chelsea could be forced into the “crazy” situation of starting Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante in Sunday’s Premier League trip to Wolves.

Croatia midfielder Kovacic returned to training on Friday after isolating due to Covid-19, while Kante was back on the bench after knee trouble in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Everton.

Kovacic has not played since late October due to a hamstring strain, with Kante not taking the field since late November.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek picked up an injury in the Everton draw, while Jorginho’s continued back problems leave him a doubt for the Wolves trip too.

Kai Havertz has tested negative for Covid and returned to training in a rare boost to the Blues, who will still be missing Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi at Wolves due to coronavirus isolation.

How to follow

Follow Wolves vs Chelsea in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full-time.

Last time out…

Jones Knows prediction

Chelsea are out to 8/1 with Sky Bet to win the Premier League title. They were 15/8 in November.

To some that might look an attractive price for the Champions League holders who are just four points off the top spot. However, over the past month there have been signs emerging that Thomas Tuchel’s boys are just a level below Manchester City and Liverpool, to the extent now that I’d be very surprised if they don’t finish third.

Tuchel was at a loss to explain how they didn’t comfortably beat Everton on Thursday, calling it a freak result. It’s true they found Jordan Pickford in top form but what worried me was their lack of sustained, quality attacks in the final 20 minutes when they were chasing a winner. It was the same in the 3-2 win over Leeds where two Jorginho penalties got them out of jail. Chelsea are seemingly finding it tough to break through low block defences without the influence and natural goal instincts of Romelu Lukaku.

And, well-organised low blow defences don’t come tighter than Wolves, who could be set to send Tuchel’s frustrations levels off the scale in this one. Bruno Lage’s team have conceded only 14 goals this season – only Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool have shipped fewer.

I can see this game going down a familiar low scroing path. Wolves took four points off Chelsea last season, coming from behind to win 2-1 in this fixture. And at the prices, I’m happy to back them to win or draw on the double chance at 6/4 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1

BETTING ANGLE: Wolves to win or draw (6/4 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

• Wolves’ home games have seen fewer goals scored than any other Premier League side’s this season (12 – F5 A7), with no side netting fewer home goals so far this term than Wolves.
• At West Ham last time out, Chelsea lost away from home in the Premier League under Thomas Tuchel for just the second time. The Blues last lost consecutive away league games in December 2020 – a run of three, in which the second defeat was against Wolves.
• Wolves’ last six Premier League matches have seen just four goals scored (two 1-0 wins, two 1-0 defeats, two 0-0 draws). It’s the fewest goals scored across a six-game spell by any team in the competition since Wigan in January/February 2009 (also four), with Wigan’s game after this run a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.
• Chelsea have conceded at least once in each of their last five Premier League games – it’s their longest run without a clean sheet under Thomas Tuchel, and their longest overall run in the competition since January/February 2020 (6 under Frank Lampard).
• Reece James has provided five Premier League assists for Chelsea this season (13 games), one more than he had in his previous two campaigns combined (4 in 56 appearances).
• Mason Mount has scored in each of his last four Premier League games for Chelsea – the last player to score in five in a row in the competition for the Blues was Frank Lampard between April/August 2010.
• Chelsea’s Mason Mount has both scored and assisted a goal in his last two Premier League away games. Only two players have done so in three consecutive away appearances in the competition – Son Heung-min in January 2019 and Bruno Fernandes in November 2020.

Latest Essential Football Podcast

On this week’s show we hear from former Tottenham defender Michael Dawson, and Peter Smith is joined by Sky Sports football journalists Gerard Brand, Ben Grounds and Adam Bate to look ahead to the Premier League weekend.

PART 1 | After a series of postponements, Tottenham return to the field against a flying Liverpool side on Sunday. Just how hard is that as a player? Michael Dawson assesses the challenge facing Antonio Conte’s men.

PART 2 | Arsenal had a good midweek, moving fourth in the Premier League table with a win over West Ham. Can they stay there? Gerard Brand discusses their prospects. Plus, Ben Grounds tells us about his sitdown with Marcelo Bielsa in the wake of Leeds’ awful 7-0 defeat at the hands of Man City.

PART 3 | Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s side are on the title charge, with seven wins in a row. Adam Bate explains how the manager’s way of playing allows City to go on such devastating winning streaks – and, at the other end of the table, what their opponents this weekend, Newcastle, must do to stay up.