Chelsea end five-game winless run

LONDON, England:

Chelsea ended a five-game winless run in the English Premier League by beating Wolverhampton 3-1 yesterday to move above Newcastle and Manchester City into fourth place.

Tosin Adarabioyo put the home side ahead after 24 minutes when he scored from close range after Reece James's shot was deflected into his path six metres from goal. It was his third goal in three games after a recent double in the FA Cup against Morecambe.

Wolves were on the back foot for most of the first half but grabbed an equaliser in stoppage time with the help of a mistake by Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez. Amid a flurry of pushing and shoving, Sanchez dropped a corner kick at the feet of Matt Doherty who stabbed the ball home from a metre out.

However, a revamped Chelsea, with James making a first league start since November 3 and Trevoh Chalobah impressing after his unexpected recall from loan club Crystal Palace, were too strong for a Wolves side that is now winless in four league games.

Marc Cucurella made it 2-1 when he chested down a cross from the right and bundled the ball into the net on the hour mark. Five minutes later, Chalobah's goal-bound header was helped on by Noni Madueke as Chelsea put the game beyond doubt.

Madueke said he apologised to Chalobah for nicking his goal but defended his "attacker's instinct" for being in the right place at the right time to make sure the ball crossed the line.

He also paid tribute to his teammate for showing what he called "leadership, character (and) bravery on the ball".

"He slotted in seamlessly so I am delighted for him," Madueke said. "It is no coincidence with players like him and Reece (James) back in we won the game."

Doherty, meanwhile, lamented his team's poor defending at set pieces.

"You have to want the ball to come to you, or you have to want to attack it. We need to start putting our head in where it hurts and defending set pieces with an 'over my dead body' attitude," Doherty said. "Against every team in the Premier League you have to be on it for 90 minutes and I just thought tonight there were too many times where we weren't on it."

Chelsea move onto 40 points, two clear of Newcastle and Man City and four behind Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. Liverpool top the table with 50 points.

Wolves remain in 17th spot, one above the relegation zone but equal on points with 18th-place Ipswich.

- AP