Agile Noni Madueke hit a hat-trick as Chelsea crushed Wolves 6-2 to give Enzo Maresca his first Premier League win as Blues boss, while Newcastle rescued a controversial 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday.
Maresca suffered a 2-0 loss against Manchester City last weekend in his first game since arriving from Leicester to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the close-season.
Chelsea got off the mark under Maresca with a UEFA Conference League play-off victory against Servette on Thursday, but that low-key success was only the prelude to their goal spree at Molineux.
Maresca’s side made the perfect start after just 98 seconds when Matheus Cunha could only flick his attempted clearance from a corner towards Nicolas Jackson, who was left unmarked to head in from six yards.
Jackson’s goal infuriated Wolves fans already angry with Chelsea after Madueke posted and then deleted a critical review of Wolverhampton just hours before kick-off.
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Madueke shared his location, which was Wolverhampton, in the post, which read “this place is s**t”.
He later shared: “Damn wrong Instagram account. You lot are too fast.”
Cunha hauled the hosts level in the 27th minute as the Brazilian forward tormented the Blues again after last season’s hat-trick at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo carelessly lost possession and Rayan Ait-Nouri drove forward before teeing up Cunha, whose fierce strike flashed past Robert Sanchez and sparked a samba-dancing goal celebration.
Cole Palmer restored Chelsea’s advantage in the 45th minute, the England forward taking Jackson’s flick and lobbing a sublime finish over Wolves keeper Jose Sa.
– Chelsea Run Riot –
The Blues made a hash of clearing Ait-Nouri’s free-kick seconds before the half-time whistle and Toti headed it across to Jorgen Strand Larsen, who poked home from close-range.
But the rollercoaster clash switched back in Chelsea’s favour in the 49th minute as Palmer found Madueke and his shot deflected in off Ait-Nouri.
Madueke struck again nine minutes later, slotting a composed finish through Sa’s legs after Palmer’s run unhinged the creaky Wolves defence.
The 22-year-old completed his treble with a carbon copy of his two previous goals, once again finishing off another Palmer assist to silence the Wolves boo-boys.
Joao Felix came off the bench to cap the rout in the 80th minute as the Portugal forward marked his debut for Chelsea following his permanent move from Atletico Madrid earlier in the week.
Felix, who spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea, blasted into the top corner after former Wolves forward Pedro Neto picked him out.
At the Vitality Stadium, Newcastle trailed when Joelinton carelessly lost possession and Antoine Semenyo’s low cross was touched in by Marcus Tavernier in the 37th minute.
Eddie Howe’s team equalised in the 76th minute as Harvey Barnes floated in a cross that Anthony Gordon slotted home from close-range.
Bournemouth were furious to be denied a stoppage-time winner when VAR ruled Dango Ouatarra had handled before heading in.
Arne Slot will take charge of his first Premier League home game as Liverpool boss against Brentford later on Sunday.
Slot was hired from Feyenoord to replace Jurgen Klopp after the German stepped down at the end of last term following nine successful years at Anfield.
The 45-year-old started his reign with a 2-0 win at Ipswich in Liverpool’s opening league match last weekend.
AFP
