Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty provided the Wolves supporters with an early present after the Old Gold claimed all three points in the first Premier League on Christmas Eve in almost three decades.
Lemina opened the scoring just five minutes after the break at Molineux as Wolves and Chelsea couldn’t be separated in the first half, before Doherty came off the bench late on to score his first top flight goal since returning to the club.
The pair gave their thoughts on the match as they combined to secure the 2-1 victory which lifts Wolves up to 11th ahead of the festive fixtures continuing on Boxing Day.
Lemina on three points against Chelsea
“It’s a very nice Christmas Eve. It’s amazing. It was important that we got here. It’s fantastic. We just pushed all the time and I hope we’re going to do the same away [at Brentford on Wednesday] because we’re struggling a little bit away.
“But we’re happy to make this kind of performance in front of our supporters who were amazing. Really amazing.”
What a performance. What a player.
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 25, 2023
💪 @LeminaM_13 pic.twitter.com/6lKgsTpcbG
Lemina on first-half changes
“He just changed some little details in the tactics, and he works really well. We were able to push on from this moment and we’re really happy. We really deserved this win, I think.”
Lemina on another goal at Molineux
“I’ve got used to scoring now here, and I have to find something unique – like a signature. But I wanted to pass on a message to my Dad because he’s been in hospital for two months now and he’s struggling a lot.
“My family are around him and I wanted to be around him, but I have to do my work, but I say to him, ‘Dad, keep pushing, and we are all together’.”
Doherty on coming off the bench to score
“It was very important because they managed to nick a goal at the end. I came on and we were trying to go 5-4-1 to kind of sure it up.
“But I’ve tended to have a knack of that over the course of my career, being in the right place at the right time. It felt well for me, and I just took it.”
Doherty on unbeaten Molineux run
“The kind of atmosphere that’s generated at this stadium is great. But ever since we came back to the Premier League, if you look at our record against the big six teams.
“I know we’ve beaten most of the big teams here now and away from home at times, but the atmosphere here, everyone kind of has that home advantage when they’re at home and they feel comfortable on their own pitch, but we’re happy to be doing really well at home.”
