The Frenchman scored from close range in the 96th minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1. It was the highlight of an otherwise disappointing day as we lost on the road for the fourth away game running.

Raheem Sterling had a golden opportunity to put us ahead with the best chance of the first half, only to be denied by Jose Sa. As has been the case too often this season we started the second period sluggishly, and were punished when Mario Lemina headed in from six yards out.

Nkunku and Sterling both came close to levelling before Matt Doherty doubled the hosts’ lead in added time. There was still time for Nkunku to open his account for the club with a well-placed header. It was the sum of our festive cheer this Christmas Eve, with insult added to injury as bookings to Cole Palmer and Sterling will rule them out of the Crystal Palace game next week.

All change in midfield

With Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo missing today through illness, Lesley Ugochukwu came in to bolster the midfield and Armando Broja spearheaded the attack. Nicolas Jackson dropped into a deeper role behind the Albanian.

Broja and Jackson each had a couple of early sights of goal, with no reward, encapsulating a largely error-strewn start to proceedings at a breezy Molineux.

A brilliant chance for Chelsea to go ahead arrived on the half-hour. Sterling stole possession off Joao Gomes after we had cleared a Wolves corner and had a free run at goal, with Jackson and Palmer for company. He opted to shoot rather than pass, however, and Sa saved with his legs.

At the other end, Hwang Hee-Chan had a brief sight of goal but Djordje Petrovic narrowed the angle well and was able to shepherd the ball out.

Before the half-time whistle blew the South Korean attacker was sent free but fired over Petrovic’s goal. A shot from Palmer from further out then suffered the same fate.

We survived a couple of scares at the start of the second half before Wolves went ahead. Thiago Silva lost possession on the edge of his box, and Gomes’ strike deflected off Ugochukwu and skimmed the outside of the post on its way behind.

Wolves pressure pays

It then needed a big Petrovic save to deny an unmarked Toti, Axel Disasi doing well to block Pablo Sarabia’s follow-up attempt.

But there was nothing keeper or defence could do to stop Lemina heading in a right-wing cross on 51 minutes. We were lucky to avoid going two behind instantly when Disasi was dispossessed in a dangerous position. Thankfully there were enough navy blue shirts on hand to crowd Hwang out.

Mauricio Pochettino responded by sending Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk on for Broja and the limping Ugochukwu. Nkunku nearly marked his Premier League debut with his first Chelsea goal, Toti clearing his volley off the line before the entire ball had crossed it. His fellow centre-back Craig Dawson was then the hero, blocking Sterling’s low strike at the end of a crisp Chelsea move.

By the midway point of the second period we had pinned Wolves back. But chances were at a premium as we tried to find space between a glut of golden shirts.

Late goals

Sub Noni Madueke did his best down the right to try and make something happen late on, but it was Wolves who scored the second goal of the game in the third of 11 minutes added on. Sub Doherty converted from close range after we had failed to adequately clear a low centre.

Nkunku gave the Blues a brief glimmer of hope when he headed in Sterling’s cross from six yards out, but it proved too little, too late.

What it means...

The Blues will be 10th at Christmas having suffered four away losses on the spin for the first time since 2000.

What's next...

Crystal Palace are the visitors to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening, kick-off 7.30pm.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto (Badiashile 80), Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill (Maatsen 79); Ugochukwu (Nkunku 58), Gallagher (c); Palmer, Jackson (Madueke 80), Sterling; Broja (Mudryk 59)
Unused subs Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Lavia, Matos
Scorer Nkunku 90+6
Booked Gallagher 30, Palmer 56, Gusto 60, Jackson 62, Sterling 90+9, Bettinelli 90+11

Wolves (3-4-3): Sa; Kilman (c), Toti, Dawson (S.Bueno 70); Semedo, Lemina, Gomes, Ait-Nouri (H.Bueno 86); Hwang, Cunha (Doherty 86), Sarabia
Unused subs Bentley, Doherty, Kalajdzic, Doyle, Barnett, Chirewa, Hesketh
Scorers Lemina 51, Doherty 90+3
Booked Lemina 27, Cunha 62, H.Bueno 90+10

Referee David Coote