Goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty earned Wolves a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Molineux. Christopher Nkunku scored his first Premier League goal for the visitors to pull one back.
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Wolves moved level on points with Chelsea with an entertaining but error-strewn 2-1 win at Molineux on Christmas Eve.
Mario Lemina's header early in the second half put Gary O'Neil's team in front and substitute Matt Doherty doubled the advantage in stoppage time. Christopher Nkunku scored his first Chelsea goal soon after but it was not enough for Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Chelsea had chances. Raheem Sterling missed the best chance of the first half when one-on-one against Jose Sa. But it was a chaotic performance, short on style or structure. They have now lost 19 Premier League games in 2023. No team has lost more.
They remain 10th in the table. Wolves move up to 11th.
Pochettino said: "We made a mistake, we need to blame ourselves. That's why we didn't win today, because in the first half we had the chances to score. In the Premier League if you're not clinical enough when you have chances, always you can concede.
"We didn't compete in the first five minutes of the second half, we conceded too many corners. In these moments it's about competing better and being stronger.
"I agree we're our own enemy. I don't want to take credit away from Wolves. They scored and they did their job. But in the first half we were the better side. And because of lack of capacity to score, we didn't win the game."
Player ratings
Wolves: Sa (7), Kilman (6), Dawson (7), Toti (7), Semedo (6), Lemina (8), Gomes (8), Ait-Nouri (7), Sarabia (6), Cunha (6), Hwang (7).
Subs: S.Bueno (6), Doyle (6), H.Bueno (7), Doherty (7).
Chelsea: Petrovic (6), Gusto (6), Disasi (6), Thiago Silva (5), Colwill (6), Ugochukwu (6), Gallagher (6), Sterling (6), Palmer (6), Jackson (4), Broja (5).
Subs: Nkunku (7), Mudryk (6), Maatsen (6), Madueke (7), Badiashile (5).
Player of the match: Mario Lemina.
Team news
Gary O’Neil made two changes to the Wolves team beaten at West Ham. Jose Sa returned in goal, while Rayan Ait-Nouri was fit to start with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde dropping out.
Christopher Nkunku had to wait for his first Premier League start as Armando Broja was given the nod up front for Chelsea. Lesley Ugochukwu came into midfield.
Gary O’Neil believes his team's 2-1 win against Chelsea was deserved
He added: "I could see in the first 12 to 15 minutes it was going to cause us one or two problems tactically. I was able to move a few things around when Rayan went down that helped us. I was able to put a bit more detail on it at half-time.
"The lads took it really well because it can be hard to take it on quickly with a Premier League game going on. After the first 15 minutes, the structure was really good off the ball. We used three or four different structures today which is good.
"The lads really struggled with that when I first came. The group I left that I'd had for a while, they were really good at being adaptable and I was able to throw stuff on them quite late. I could see with this group early on that it was a problem for them.
"I had to make it more predictable and simple but today was not that predictable and not that simple but they dealt with it really well, so really good from the lads to take it on the way that they did." It is a reason for optimism that Wolves can improve in 2024.
Match stats
Only Almeria, Werder Bremen and Empoli have lost more games across the five big European leagues than Chelsea in 2023.
Chelsea have lost four consecutive away Premier League games for the first time since 2000.
Chelsea have missed 36 of their 57 big chances in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
Wolves have scored in 16 consecutive top-flight games at Molineux for the first time since 1970.
What's next?
Wolves go to Brentford on Wednesday; kick-off 7.30pm. Gary O'Neil's side then play their final fixture of 2023 on December 30 at home to Everton; kick-off 3pm.
Chelsea face a London derby on Wednesday as they host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge; kick-off 7.30pm. The Blues' final fixture of the year comes at Kenilworth Road as they face relegation strugglers Luton on December 30; kick-off 12.30pm.
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