Malo Gusto finally opened his senior goal account after 165 career appearances as Chelsea brushed aside managerless Wolves 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to climb to second in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old defender broke the deadlock in the 51st minute with a close-range header — his first goal in 98 appearances since joining Chelsea in 2023. Joao Pedro doubled the lead, and Pedro Neto sealed the win late on.
Chelsea had struggled to create clear chances in a frustrating first half that drew boos from sections of the home crowd, despite Wolves — temporarily managed by academy coaches James Collins and Richard Walker following Gary O’Neil’s departure — failing to register a single shot before the break.
Alejandro Garnacho and Enzo Fernández both saw efforts saved, while Joao Pedro went closest with a low drive just wide of the post.
The breakthrough came shortly after half-time when Garnacho’s cross found Gusto at the far post for a simple header.
Substitute Estevao Willian made an immediate impact just 68 seconds after coming on, setting up compatriot Joao Pedro to make it 2-0.
Garnacho then capped a standout performance by leading a counter-attack and crossing for Neto to complete the scoring.
It was a superb display from Garnacho, who joined from Manchester United for £40m in the summer and registered two assists in a Premier League match for the first time in his career.
Wolves offered little in response, with only long-range efforts from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and substitute Marshall Munetsi testing Chelsea late on.
The victory moves Chelsea to 20 points from 11 games, while Wolves remain rooted to the bottom with just two.
