Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca supported goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen after an error that led Chelsea to lost to Aston Villa.
Jorgensen allowed Marco Asensio to wriggle late in Saturday's collision in Villa Park, when the Unai Emery team came from behind to win 2-1.
He started with the last three Premier League matches of Chelsea, where Robert Sanchez fell out of the grace.
And for the home game of Chelsea against Bottom-of-the-League Southampton, Maresca has confirmed that Jorgensen is still the first-choice keeper.
“Certainly. If we have to change a player every time they have made a mistake, we should change a lot of player game per game. Nothing has changed,” he said reporters.
“He is fine. He feels a bit sad or upset because he recognizes that he has made a mistake, but in general he is fine,” he said.
Maresca also made it clear that he is not worried about the loss of the form of Cole Palmer, where the playmaker had wasted a great chance against Villa when the score was 1-1.
“I am always worried about general performance. I am not worried about Cole because Cole is a human and he can have a few moments during a season in which he is struggling a bit more,” Maresca said.
“The problem with Cole is that we trust Cole for everything and I said since we started that we should trust the team. We need top players like Cole, but we are not worried at all.”
Palmer has scored 14 goals and has contributed to six assists in the Premier League so far and Maresca believes that he will recapture his form.
“He has to continue with the way he works. He recently had a big chance, but in general the performance of him. As I said, every game we expect a goal or help from him, so it's hard.
“He is a human. At the moment his performance probably reflects the team performance that we have difficulty score goals, so we have to be a bit more clinical if we get the opportunities.”
In the meantime, Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes knows that the saints should offer a reaction after a 4-0 loss for Brighton.
“We know that these tactics have risks, but if you can win the game, you can continue and we would have superiority every time and we can score,” Fernandes said.
“We have to do better. Spend more time in the gym and get better rest. We have to do what the Gaffer wants. We trust him and he is our leader. We have to trust him.”
Tomorrow at home. pic.twitter.com/eeciijbccq
– Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) 24 February 2025
Players to watch
Chelsea – Cole Palmer
Palmer's last Premier League Assist for Chelsea was against Villa in December. Since then, Palmer has created 35 opportunities for 12 different teammates without one of them being converted.
He has a drought of five games without a goal or assisting, so his lips will lick on the opportunity to come back against a weak Southampton defense.
SOUTHAMPTON – TYLER DIBLING
Dibling is Southampton's second highest scorer this season with four goals in all competitions, only one back on top scorer Cameron Archer.
He also created 14 chances in the Premier League, and has worn the ball the second-so day in the Southampton team (3.133.99m), while his Carry's have ended up in 13 Schoten-Meer than any other player in the team .
Match forecast: Chelsea Win
Chelsea has won 11 of their last 14 Premier League matches against parties that start the day at the bottom of the table (D2 L1), although their only defeat in this run was at Southampton in February 2023.
In the meantime, Southampton has lost each of their last six midweek Premier League matches, including all three this season with a total score of 9-2.
Ivan Juric's side has lost 15 of their last 19 games in all games, including each of their last three.
Saints are currently at the bottom of the table at nine points (0.35/game) and three more needs in their last 12 games (0.25/game) to not beat or level the record lowest points in total in The Premier League history (11, set by Derby County in 2007-08).
Opta wins probability
Chelsea – 78.8%
Drawing – 12.8%
Southampton – 8.3%
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