Bizarre Enzo Maresca statistic offers Chelsea optimism for Wolves clash | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca could extend his unique record in English football in Saturday's clash with Wolves.

The Blues will face Wolves for the second time in just over a week, but this time, with a home advantage at Stamford Bridge.

Despite having to work for the 4-3 Carabao Cup fourth-round win in the previous encounter, it is pretty clear that Chelsea remain the clear favourites heading into this game.

Wolves are simply in a disastrous form, having failed to win any Premier League game this season, and are on a four-game losing streak.

Enzo Maresca admitted that facing Wolves under different coaching staff, following the sacking of Vitor Pereira, could prove tricky, but he is also aware that this is a game Chelsea need to win.

Interestingly, there are some encouraging facts for the home side ahead of the game.

IMAGO / News Images

Firstly, Maresca has apparently never lost a match against teams whose first name begins with a 'W' on 10 occasions in English football, against Watford, West Brom, West Ham, and Wolves, with both Leicester and Chelsea.

In addition to that, Chelsea have scored five or more goals in four different league games against Wolves, including the 6-2 away win last season.

Conversely, it was also the most times Wolves have conceded five or more goals against an opponent in league games.

Finally, it is hardly a surprise that Wolves have spent 59.1 per cent of their league matches in a losing game state this season, while Chelsea spent just 14.4 per cent of theirs, the second-best record in the competition.

These facts only show that the odds are stacked against the visitors, and Wolves Under-21 boss James Collins, who will be in charge of their senior side alongside his Under-18 counterpart Richard Walker following Vitor Pereira's dismissal, is aware of this.

"They are a fabulous football team," Collins said in his press conference on Friday when speaking about Chelsea.

"Watching them all this week in several games, they’re well coached, well organised, with top players – it’s not a bad mix to have, and away from home.

"It’s a really tough ask for anybody to go there and win the game, but it happens."