Boxing Day will be memorable for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea fans because the 2023/24 Premier League season will present Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea at the Molineux.
As great as an afternoon of football action sounds for many during the holiday season, only a few fans have fond memories of holiday football. Fans of both clubs have had their experiences in the past and are now gearing up for their subsequent disappointment.
The home fans will keep their fingers crossed that they will not be the ones to leave the stadium feeling blue, while the visiting Blues fans will also be looking forward to singing Christmas carols and hymns mixed with chants praising the work of Mauricio Pochettino.
December has been a challenging month for Premier League teams. Wolves have had to face West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, and Arsenal in the last month of 2023. After Chelsea on 24 December 2023, they still have to tackle Brentford and Everton.
This is Gary O’Neil’s biggest test in his young career, and his performance will speak for him as his career progresses.
Pochettino, on the other hand, has experienced this madness with Southampton and then Tottenham Hotspur.
In his December run, he will count the trip to Wolves as one of the easier matches, which has Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United, Everton, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, and Luton Town.
This is why both fans will be excited and apprehensive on 24 December 2023.
The match is also high stakes because both teams are unlikely to finish below the top ten in the league this season. Chelsea feels more pressure due to their history in the English top flight.
Read on for match ticket information, team news, and predictions.
Match Tickets
Wolves will begin selling their Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea tickets from 28 November 2023 to their members. Chelsea ticket release dates for the match are still unknown.
Neutrals can also purchase the tickets from either site.
However, because clubs focus more on their fans and club members than neutrals who want to enjoy a match, neutrals should buy tickets elsewhere.
Trusted ticket reselling platforms like Seatsnet.com will carry the keys when available, and the purchase process will be less tedious for neutral fans.
Wolves vs Chelsea is the only Boxing Day fixture of the season, so Sky Sports will air the match. Fans can also stream the game via various streaming platforms. A subscription to these apps and channels is needed to access the game.
The game will kick off at 2 PM UTC at Molineux.
Team News
Barring an injury to any player in the next week during training, Gary O’Neil will have his complete team to take on Chelsea. He also has no suspended players. Hugo Bueno [hamstring issue] and Joe Hodge [shoulder surgery] are the long-term absences.
Wolves hope one or both of them can be available in December because of the tough run of fixtures.
Christopher Nkunku is back but is still being monitored. Hence, he gave sparse minutes in the last matches. His addition has been a big boost for Pochettino, who has dealt with the most extended injury list in the Premier League this season.
Romeo Lavia is also available for selection, which is excellent and headache-inducing news for the former Tottenham Hotspur manager. With so many midfielders, handling the squad and keeping everyone happy will take incredible man-management skills.
Lineups
Wolverhampton Wanderers fans are enjoying the best of Pedro Neto and Hee-Chan Hwang. Both players have carried them to all their positive results this season.
Their combination down the right will continue for a long time, and O’Neil will deploy it again to face Chelsea. The rest of the team will be set up to serve them and Matheus Cunha upfront.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Sá; Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Gomes; Neto, Lemina, Traoré, Aït-Nouri; Hwang, Cunha.
Chelsea will not risk Nkunku so Cole Palmer will start behind Nicolas Jackson and alongside Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling. Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher will hold down the fort at the base of the midfield to disrupt the attack of the Wolves on the afternoon of the match.
- Chelsea: Sanchez; Colwill, Disasi, Silva, James; Enzo, Gallagher; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson.
Prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea on matchday 18 of the 2023/24 season could be one of the most exciting Boxing Day encounters in modern Premier League history. Wolves have effectively increased their speed this season but still need to improve technically.
They have good players who can cover for them where necessary, but Chelsea has better players.
The issue with the London team is their relative youth – Pochettino is handling a new team that has not spent more than one season together. This could play into their host’s hands on Boxing Day.
The game will be won in the middle of the park where Chelsea has the upper hand, and the Wolves have the legs. Ultimately, it will come down to who takes their chances, and we predict that the game will end in a draw.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Chelsea
