Chelsea hung on for a dramatic 4-3 win in an action-packed Carabao Cup tie against Wolves at Molineux.
Enzo Maresca would have been thrilled with a clinical first-half display in which Chelsea went three up to spark chants of ‘sacked in the morning’ by the home support aimed at Wolves boss Vitor Pereira. Booed off at the break, there was no hint of a comeback.
But after those goals by Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao – with a delightful dink – a physical Wolves were transformed in the second half, Tolu Arokodare finishing neatly to pull one back before David Moller Wolfe scored to have Chelsea wobbling.
Liam Delap was sent off soon after coming on and even when Jamie Gittens lashed a stunning shot into the top corner, Moller Wolfe went up the other end to keep the tie alive. Wolves could not find the equaliser but were applauded off by their supporters.
It is Chelsea, however, into the last eight, where they will face Cardiff away from home.
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Jamie Gittens scored Chelsea’s fourth goal that proved to be the needed winner
Maresca criticises ‘stupid’ Delap
Maresca delivered a scathing assessment of Delap’s red card after the striker became embroiled in a physical battle with the Wolves central defenders twice in a matter of minutes.
The substitute was booked for shoving Yerson Mosquera in the face before leading with the elbow when challenging Emmanuel Agbadou, resulting in a swift red card.
“Very stupid red card that was completely unnecessary,” said Maresca.
“Absolutely deserved. It was a stupid foul. We can avoid that. I completely support the red card.”
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Liam Delap gets sent off after two yellows in seven minutes against Wolves
Asked if Chelsea’s disciplinary record was embarrassing, Maresca added: “It is embarrassing when it is a red card like today. It is embarrassing two cards in seven minutes, both we can avoid.”
In particular, the Chelsea boss was frustrated because he had warned the player.
“After the yellow card, I told him four or five times, keep calm. But Liam is a player inside the pitch, playing the game for himself and he struggles to listen to things around him.”
Pereira: We’ll turn it around
Pereira had looked a man on the brink as his team were booed off at half-time but the spirit shown in the second half offered some hope for the bottom club. “I don’t have any doubts that we’ll do it again, we’ll turn the situation for sure,” said the Wolves boss.
“We showed the spirit, we showed the character, we showed that we have quality. We showed to ourselves and to the supporters that together we can do it again. We just need a win to believe and to move on. That definitely was seen in the second half.
“We can compete with Chelsea, we can compete with every team. If we play like this, with confidence, with energy, with the energy of our supporters, we can do it. We are a small club, but we can do it together. And this is the message. It’s not about me.”
