EPL: Chelsea strolls past Wolves, continue winning run under Potter

LONDON: Goals from Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja helped Chelsea to a 3-0 win over struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to hand new boss Graham Potter his first home win in the Premier League.

Chelsea had clinched a last-gasp win at Crystal Palace in Potter’s first league game before thumping AC Milan on Wednesday and continued its run against managerless Wolves, with a scoreline that eventually reflected its dominance.

Potter made seven changes to his starting line-up with Tuesday’s reverse fixture against Milan at San Siro in mind, but Chelsea showcased its strength in depth and outclassed a lacklustre Wolves side whose only win this season came against Southampton early in September.

In the first half alone, Chelsea had 12 shots at goal, four of them on target, and dominated 70% possession but struggled to make the pressure count as it was thwarted both by its own wastefulness and a string of fine saves from Jose Sa.

Wolves threatened to steal the unlikeliest of leads minutes before the break through Matheus Nunes but the midfielder headed over, while former Chelsea striker Diego Costa missed another rare chance after stumbling as he tried to control the ball.

Havertz finally found the breakthrough just before the half-time whistle as Sa, who was off his line, was unable to deal with his looping header that matched the equally impressive cross from Mason Mount.

Pulisic missed some of Chelsea’s best chances and had his curling shot tipped away by Sa in the first half but made amends 10 minutes into the second, playing a swift one-two with Mount before dinking the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

The visitor was never really in the contest and substitute Broja hammered home a through ball from Mateo Kovacic in added time to score his first Chelsea goal and cap a perfect afternoon for Potter.

RESULTS: Chelsea 3 (Havertz 45+3, Pulisic 54, Broja 89) bt Wolverhampton Wanderers 0; Manchester City 4 (Cancelo 20, Foden 32, Mahrez 49, Haaland 65) bt Southampton 0; Bournemouth 2 (Billing 67, Christie 71) bt Leicester City 1 (Daka 10); Newcastle United 5 (Moura 21, 56; Murphy 28, Almiron 82, Pinnock 90-og) bt Brentford 1 (Toney 54-pen)