Mauricio Pochettino encountered further challenges as struggling Chelsea suffered a disappointing 4-2 defeat against Wolves. Meanwhile, Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund marked his 21st birthday with a goal in Sunday's 3-0 victory against West Ham.
While Premier League leaders Liverpool geared up for a crucial clash with title rivals Arsenal later in the day, the spotlight shifted to Chelsea's struggles ahead of the Emirates Stadium showdown. Positioned in 11th place, Chelsea faced the ire of disgruntled fans, who booed them off the field after Matheus Cunha's hat-trick condemned them to a second consecutive defeat.
Having endured a 4-1 thrashing by Liverpool on Wednesday, Chelsea's tumultuous week concluded with an even more humiliating loss as Wolves secured a double over the beleaguered west London team.
Cole Palmer gave Chelsea the lead with a composed angled finish from Moises Caicedo's defence-splitting pass in the 19th minute. However, Chelsea's advantage was short-lived, as Matheus Cunha's shot, taking a significant deflection off Thiago Silva, left Blues keeper Djordje Petrovic wrong-footed, finding the net just three minutes later.
In the 43rd minute, Mauricio Pochettino displayed an exasperated expression when Rayan Ait Nouri's shot deflected off Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, resulting in an own goal.
The already tense atmosphere took a more toxic turn in the 63rd minute as Pedro Neto set up Cunha to drive in Wolves' third goal. Cunha's 82nd-minute penalty, awarded after a foul by Malo Gusto, marked a miserable afternoon for Pochettino, who found no solace in Silva's close-range finish in the 86th minute.
It has been a disheartening first season in charge for Pochettino, and the former Tottenham manager is likely to face calls for his dismissal unless results improve swiftly. Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has previously demonstrated his willingness to make decisive decisions by dismissing Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge last season.
With upcoming trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City within their next three games, Chelsea could find themselves in complete disarray by the time they face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley on February 25.
APF and Punch