Armando Broja scored his first Chelsea goal in a dominant victory over a lacklustre Wolves, who remain without a permanent manager.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time but the Blues could have put the game out of sight long before then.
Christian Pulisic doubled the lead, playing a one-two with Mason Mount and sending the ball sailing past goalkeeper Jose Sa before Broja hammered into the bottom corner with his left foot late on.
The game marked Graham Potter’s first home Premier League victory as Chelsea boss.
He made wholesale changes to the line-up from the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend, swapping seven players and showcasing the depth in the squad, with Conor Gallagher earning a start after scoring the winner last time out and Reece James and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench.
Wolves, playing their first match since sacking manager Bruno Lage last weekend, were unorganised and Diego Costa, making his first start for the Midlands club against his former side, struggled to get in the game with the team hemmed in their own half.
The 1-0 scoreline at half-time flattered Wolves as Cesar Azpilicueta, playing in his first Premier League game since August, put several teasing deliveries into the box which no one could latch on to, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Pulisic both hammered over the bar.
Gallagher looked lively from the outset, while Mount was dynamic – it was his lofty delivery from the right-hand side that picked out Havertz for the opener, with the Germany international’s header looping over Sa.
But Broja, who impressed on loan at Southampton last season, will have been pleased to get off the mark with his first goal for the club when he replaced Mount after the break.
Without midfielder Ruben Neves, who is suspended having picked up five yellow cards this season, Wolves looked uncomfortable at the back, giving the ball away carelessly deep in their own half and making hard work for themselves in dangerous areas.
Wolves have been linked with former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui, with interim boss Steve Davis saying earlier in the week he had been told he was in charge of the match against Chelsea but was unsure of the situation beyond that.
They remain stuck in the relegation zone having lost their last three matches, while Chelsea move to fourth.
Costa rusty as Chelsea punish Wolves
As Potter continues to grow into his role and implement his style at Chelsea, his abundance of attacking options was evident against Wolves with the front line looking strong even with Aubameyang confined to the bench.
But Wolves’ attacking problems continue to prevail with the side having scored a meagre three goals this campaign, the lowest of any side in the league.
The side continued to lack goal threat with recent free-transfer signing Costa, Hwang Hee-chan and Goncalo Guedes – who is without a goal in nine games since a £27.5m summer move from Valencia – their only fit senior strikers.
Costa was substituted for the returning Hee-chan, who was sidelined last week with a groin problem, and took the applause of the entirety of Stamford Bridge, even shaking Chelsea fans’ hands as he made his way round the pitch to the bench.
During his time with Chelsea, the 34-year-old scored 52 goals in 89 top-flight games between 2014 and 2017, and helped the side to two Premier League wins.
But he showed he is not one to be relied on by Wolves just yet as he failed to make a notable impact, understandable having not played since December 2021 until last weekend’s defeat by West Ham, where he came on as a substitute.
Wolves improved early in the second half with Daniel Podence going close, but without experienced forward Raul Jimenez and long-term absentee Sasa Kalajdzic there was a lack of follow through. Then Chelsea’s second goal dispirited the side.
Wolves have won just one of their last 16 Premier League games, failing to score in six of their last nine matches.
