A much-changed Chelsea were seven points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after a 5-1 thrashing of Southampton, who had captain Jack Stephens sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair.
Competition events
The Blues made seven changes for the trip to St Mary's and still produced a fine attacking display that will only increase talk of a potential title challenge this season as they sit second.
Three players introduced – Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke – all scored in the first half.
However, Disasi's seventh-minute header was quickly canceled out just four minutes later when Joe Aribo fired past Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who was making his Premier League debut.
But Southampton's error-laden season continued when goalkeeper Joe Lumley's sloppy pass was cleared by Madueke, who allowed Nkunku to roll into an empty net in the 17th minute – a ninth Saints error this season that led to a goal in led the Premier League.
Madueke then scored a third in the 34th minute before Saints' evening went from bad to worse five minutes later when skipper Stephens pulled Cucurella's hair at a Saints corner and was sent off for violent conduct following a VAR review on the pitch monitor.
Chelsea then completely dominated the game, eventually adding a fourth through Cole Palmer's tap-in in the 77th minute.
Substitute Jadon Sancho added a late fifth for his first Chelsea goal as Enzo Maresca's side went seven games unbeaten in all competitions before heading to London rivals Tottenham on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Southampton is now seven points behind safety.
0' The match is about to start!
2' Big save for Jorgensen, who lands well and denies Aribo from very close range
7' Disasi's header from Enzo's corner opens the scoring ring! Southampton 0-1 Chelsea
10' Kyle spins past Enzo and Aribo has a level finish! Southampton 1-1 Chelsea
17' Nkunku scores into the open net to give Blues the lead again! Southampton 1-2 Chelsea
22' Joao Felix drives to the edge of the penalty area, but drags his shot wide
34' Madueke cuts inside and curls one into the far corner! Southampton 1-3 Chelsea
36 'Chelsea want a fourth before half time, while Christopher Nkunku heads narrowly over
40' Red card! Stephens is sent away for pulling Cucurella's hair
45' Nkunku lies down in the penalty area, but the referee does not call a penalty
46' Palmer finds Joao Felix who heads wide from a few meters away
53' CLOSE! Adarabioyo in the Southampton penalty area shoots a shot off the post
55' Palmer's shot is parried by Joe Lumley and Madueke blasts the rebound wide
60' Mateus Fernandes forces Filip Jorgensen into a brilliant save with his feet
66' Madueke's volley is kept out by Joe Lumley's right shoe
72' Madueke makes way for Sancho
76' Nkunku's shot trickles past the keeper and Palmer taps in! Southampton 1-4 Chelsea
87' Jadon Sancho scores his first goal for Chelsea! Southampton 1-5 Chelsea
94' match event for Southampton vs Chelsea
Setups
Southampton XI: Stephens, Fraser, Ryan Manning, Adam Armstrong, Joe Lumley, James Bree, Joe Aribo, Walker-Peters, Nathan Wood, Cameron Archer, Mateus Fernandes
Subs: McCarthy, Taylor, Cornet, Ben Brereton Díaz, Yukinari Sugawara, Ronnie Edwards, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, Joe O'Brien Whitmarsh
Chelsea XI: T.Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Felix, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Filip Jørgensen, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Malo Gusto
Subs: Sancho, Robert Sánchez, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Roméo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Renato Veiga
Comments