Enzo Maresca enjoyed a famous first Premier League win as Chelsea manager as his side thrashed Wolves 6-2 at Molineux.
Nicolas Jackson scored after just two minutes of Sunday's game, but the hosts made it a competitive contest in the first half and the scores were level at 2-2 when the teams headed in for halftime.
However, Chelsea — and Noni Madueke — took charge in the second period, the winger scoring three times in 14 minutes to put the Blues in cruise control before substitute Joao Felix added the sixth.
Maresca was able to celebrate becoming the first Premier League manager to see his team score six times in his first away match in charge in the competition. And that wasn't the only record to fall.
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Madueke became the 23rd different Chelsea player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League. That's the highest number of unique hat-trick scorers among all teams to have played in the division. The next best is Arsenal with 22, then Liverpool on 16.
23 - Noni Madueke is the 23rd different player to score a Premier League hat-trick for @ChelseaFC, more unique hat-trick scorers than any other side in the competition. Smorgasbord. pic.twitter.com/9nyj4Gni0h
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 25, 2024
It was an emphatic way for Chelsea to respond to critics concerned about their transfer policy and squad size, and it suggested this could perhaps end up being a successful first season in the job for Maresca. Time will tell on that front, of course.
Their next game is the second leg of their Europa Conference League playoff against Servette, with the Blues holding a 2-0 aggregate lead in that tie. They then face Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on September 1 in their final match before the September international break.
