Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare reserved special praise for debutants Angel Gomes and Adam Armstrong after Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea at Molineux, insisting both players delivered outstanding performances despite the disappointing result.

England international Gomes joined Wolves on deadline day, signing a loan deal for the remainder of the 2025-2026 season, with an option to buy, while Armstrong was acquired on a permanent basis.

Cole Palmer netted a first half hat-trick to become the only player in Premier League history to register three first-half hat-tricks, while also setting a new benchmark as Chelsea's leading hat-trick scorer in the Premier League era.

Eight minutes after the restart, Arokodare turned home from close range to reduce the deficit, marking his second goal in the English top-flight since his arrival from Racing Genk last summer. 

Despite the defeat, the Nigeria international highlighted that the performances of the two new arrivals offered encouragement, with Gomes bringing composure to the midfield and Armstrong leading the line with energy.

Speaking to Wolves' official website, Arokodare said: "I think we all saw them today – they were both exceptional. That shows the quality they bring to the team. I’m very, very happy for them on their debuts for the team, how they played, how they performed.

"They played like they've been here the whole season, like they've been training with us the whole season. You can see how they blended in well, they've been amazing in training, and hopefully more of this is to come from them.”

Former Southampton forward Armstrong played a key role in Arokodare’s goal, providing the assist with a flicked header.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel