After facing boos from the home crowd over a controversial Instagram post, Noni Madueke delivered a spectacular second-half hat trick to lead Chelsea to a 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton on Sunday. This marked Chelsea’s first Premier League win under manager Enzo Maresca, highlighting the club’s potential under his leadership.
Madueke’s hat trick came after a difficult first half, during which Chelsea lost the lead twice. The goals, all within a 14-minute span, were set up by teammate Cole Palmer, who consistently found Madueke on the right side of the area. Despite the hostility from Wolves fans, Madueke’s performance turned the game decisively in Chelsea’s favor.
The controversy began when Madueke posted an Instagram story using an expletive to describe Wolverhampton shortly after Chelsea’s arrival in the city. Although he quickly deleted the post, the damage was done, and Wolves fans let him hear it throughout the match. However, his on-field response silenced critics and secured a crucial win for Chelsea.
Joao Felix, a recent signing, capped off the victory by scoring the sixth goal, assisted by Pedro Neto, who ironically joined Chelsea from Wolves earlier this month.
After the match, Madueke expressed regret over his social media post, apologizing to the residents of Wolverhampton. He vowed to stay off social media for the foreseeable future, stating, “I’ll be giving my social media accounts to my manager, I think.”
In other Premier League action, Liverpool secured a 2-0 win against Brentford under new manager Arne Slot. The match at Anfield showcased elements of Slot’s style, although the team’s approach still bore the influence of former manager Jurgen Klopp. Goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah ensured Liverpool’s victory, with Salah continuing his strong start to the season.
The match also highlighted Liverpool’s composure in possession, with the team completing 92% of its passes—their highest percentage in the Premier League since at least 2003-04. Slot acknowledged the similarities to Klopp’s tactics but emphasized that there are subtle differences in his approach.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth was left frustrated after a late VAR decision disallowed a potential winning goal in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola expressed his disappointment, insisting that the goal should have stood.
