Chelsea know a win against Wolves today on the final day of the Premier Laegue season will seal Champions League qualification.
The Blues were beaten 5-3 at Liverpool on Wednesday night to ensure their race for a top-four finish goes to the wire.
Chelsea could technically lose at Stamford Bridge and still finish fourth as long as they match Leicester City’s result against Manchester United, but the Blues will not want to see their seasons’ work go to waste now.
Frank Lampard has told his players to relish the pressure, but with one eye on August’s FA Cup Final against Arsenal, the Chelsea boss will need to keep his squad focused on the task at hand.
Chelsea have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again a few times since the restart, scoring plenty of goals and getting big wins while also reeling from heavy defeats.
The Blues have enough firepower to beat Wolves, but the big question is whether the defense will hold out.
A draw should be enough to seal Champions League qualification, but it could be a game that turns multiple times.
TEAM NEWS
N’Golo Kante could be involved for Chelsea on Sunday after a five-match absence with a hamstring injury.
Christian Pulisic is pushing to start, having made a superb impact as a substitute at Anfield on Wednesday.
Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has no injury concerns as his side seek a win that will secure a top-six finish and Europa League qualification.
Wing-back Matt Doherty is expected to make his 300th appearance for the club, nearly 10 years after he joined Wolves.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Chelsea are unbeaten in all five of their Premier League home games against Wolves (W4, D1).
Wolves are winless in eight away meetings in all competitions since a 2-1 top-flight victory in March 1979.
Chelsea
Chelsea have not lost their final match of a Premier League season when it was at Stamford Bridge since a 2002 defeat by Aston Villa (W7, D3).
They have lost 12 Premier League fixtures in a season for only the second time since Roman Abramovich became owner in 2003.
Chelsea’s eight defeats at Stamford Bridge in all competitions this season is their most in a single campaign since 1985-86.
The Blues have conceded 54 goals in the Premier League this season, only one short of their highest tally in the competition. They let in 55 goals in 1994-95 and 1996-97.
Chelsea have conceded 46% of the shots on target they have faced this season, the highest ratio in the division.
Olivier Giroud has scored six goals in seven league and cup starts since football’s resumption.
Tammy Abraham has scored six goals in his three league appearances against Wolves, including a hat-trick in this season’s reverse fixture.
- Chelsea vs Watford: Team news, match facts and prediction
- Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Team news, match facts, and prediction
- Manchester United vs Chelsea: Team news, match facts and prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Victory for Wolves would guarantee them a sixth-place finish, their best in the top flight since 1979-80.
Wolves have 59 points and will finish the season with their highest tally in the top division since that 1979-80 campaign, when they earned 66 points once adjusted to three for a win.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have gained an unrivalled 21 points from a losing position this season, and also surrendered the fewest points (4) when ahead.
They could become the fourth team to go through a Premier League campaign without any English goalscorers, excluding own goals – emulating Fulham, Arsenal and most recently Stoke in 2015-16.
Raul Jimenez’s 17 Premier League goals this season have been worth 19 points, the most of any player. The last Wolves player to score more than 17 top-flight goals in a season was John Richards, with 27, in 1972-73.
PREDICTION: 2-2
