Chelsea broke their five-game Premier League winless streak with an impressive 3-1 victory over Wolves, thanks to goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, and Noni Madueke. The result provided a much-needed boost for Enzo Maresca’s side as they aim to climb up the league table.
Wolves, currently struggling in 17th place, briefly leveled the match just before halftime against the run of play. However, Chelsea regained the upper hand in the second half when Cucurella marked his 100th league appearance with a goal, set up brilliantly by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Madueke.
Five minutes later, Madueke extended Chelsea’s lead by heading in a close-range effort, bringing his season tally to seven goals. The 22-year-old winger put in a strong 84-minute performance before being substituted for academy graduate Tyrique George.
After the match, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised Madueke’s contribution but expressed his dissatisfaction with the player’s overall effort levels. Maresca emphasized the need for improvement in the winger’s consistency and attitude, particularly in the attacking third.
“He can improve in the final third, but it seemed like he stopped playing after he scored,” Maresca said. “This is something we need to address immediately. One or two goals shouldn’t be enough—you always have to strive for more. He appeared to lose focus after scoring, and that’s not acceptable.”
The Italian manager also highlighted the importance of maintaining intensity, even when tired, urging Madueke to push harder.
This is not the first time Maresca has publicly challenged the England international. Last month, he questioned Madueke’s consistency and work ethic, citing it as the reason for benching him in Chelsea’s win against Aston Villa.
“Noni can do much better,” Maresca said at the time. “Once he scores or assists, he seems to lose his edge. That’s why he wasn’t playing—I wasn’t happy with his training standards.”
Maresca continued to emphasize the importance of daily effort and ambition, stating that Madueke needs to aim for multiple goals and provide more assists to maximize his potential.
The winger was also left out of the squad for Chelsea’s match against Fulham three weeks later, with Maresca explaining that it was a “technical decision” and not due to injury.
Despite the criticism, Madueke appears to take the feedback constructively. Speaking to the club’s official website earlier in the season, he acknowledged the high standards set by Maresca.
“I see his comments as a positive,” Madueke said. “He’s pushing me to be the best version of myself in every session. Top players give everything every day, and that’swhat I aspire to do.”
