Liam Delap, returning as a substitute after two months out with a hamstring injury, was sent off for two yellow cards inside seven late minutes as Chelsea, 3-0 up at half-time, managed to turn this into a topsy-turvy tie that may have earned them a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals but has cost them their No 9 for Saturday’s derby away to Tottenham.

Wolves, despite extending their poor start to the season, actually ended up in credit as they battled fiercely to regain some pride, getting cheered off by supporters who had booed them off after Sunday’s defeat by Burnley.

Two goals from David Møller Wolfe, after Tolu Arokodare had brought the score back to 3-1, cheered up their supporters but superb goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estêvão and Jamie Gittens always suggested Chelsea had too much class. Delap, introduced on the hour mark, was booked for pushing Yerson Mosquera, and then jumping into Emmanuel Agbadou. as Wolves turned this into a fightThe two meet again at Stamford Bridge a week on Saturday. That should be fun.

With a quarter-final place at stake, only one player survived from the two teams’ last Premier League outings; quite what...