Chelsea stroll to victory as Southampton continue to be own worst enemies

Chelsea are now on a run of four consecutive wins and one loss in 10 games in all competitions. 

Chelsea's Noni Madueke celebrates scoring his side's third goal in the Premier League game against Southampton. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.

Premier League: Southampton 1 Chelsea 5

Chelsea are working up a head of steam, and who knows where their journey will end? One defeat in 10 games in all competitions, four successive victories and Liverpool’s stumble at Newcastle suggest that they may yet have a big say in the title race, however much manager Enzo Maresca may downplay their chances.

Maresca was able to make seven changes to the team that had beaten Aston Villa 3-0 and still see what looked like his Europa Conference League side stroll to victory at St Mary’s. That said, they were assisted by bottom-of-the-table Southampton, who were their own worst enemies as usual.

Already without key performers Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Tyler Dibling through suspension, they torpedoed their own chances of continuing the recent upturn in their form by adding a self-inflicted and unnecessary red card to their usual selection of unforced errors in defence. Chelsea, needless to say, took full advantage.

Axel Disasi put Saints ahead after only seven minutes and although Joe Aribo levelled just four minutes later, one of the defensive blunders that have blighted Southampton’s season then allowed Christopher Nkunku to restore the Londoners’ lead. 

Noni Madueke made it 3-1 before Saints captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Chelsea left back Marc Cucurella. Somehow the visitors added only two more goals, through Cole Palmer and Jason Sancho, who came off the bench to net his first Chelsea goal.

Maresca had said before the match that he expected one of his most difficult matches so far but that looked unlikely when Disasi was able to head in Enzo Fernandez’ left-wing corner too easily with goalkeeper Joe Lumley complaining in vain that he had been impeded by Cucurella, all 5’ 8” of him.

Southampton, though, hit back only four minutes later. Kyle Walker-Peters’ surge forwards took him almost to the Chelsea byline before tricking his way past Fernandez and pulling the ball back for the unmarked Aribo to hit it first-time past Jorgensen.

The momentum had swung quickly back in Southampton’s favour, so what did they do? Shoot themselves in the foot, of course, as they have done so often when trying pass out of defence as manager Russell Martin insists that they do. The problem is that they are not good enough to play that game. Lumley tried to find Walker-Peters, but Madueke was way ahead of him, picking the defender’s pocket and setting Nkunku up to roll the ball into an empty goal.

Lumley redeemed himself slightly when deflecting a shot by Cole Palmer onto a post, but he was helpless as Madueke got a goal of his own, cutting inside left wing-back Ryan Manning and shooting across Lumley and just inside the far post.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side when Stephens tugged at one of Cucurella’s flowing locks as they awaited a Saints corner kick and although the Spain defender’s theatrical fall to the turf was way over the top, VAR invited referee Tony Harrington to look at a replay and he produced the red card.

Tosin Adarabioyo crashed a shot off the post to open the second half and Madueke was denied by a block from Manning and then the right foot of Lumley. But the home side’s goal could not continue to lead its charmed life and Palmer eventually scored a fourth, making sure after Nkunku had rolled the ball past Lumley. Sancho thrashed the fifth past Lumley after taking Malo Gusto’s through pass, and there was still time for Gusto to smack the woodwork again.

Southampton (5-3-2): Lumley 7; Bree 5 (Edwards 78), Stephens 3, Wood 6, Walker-Peters 6, Manning 5; Aribo 7, Fernandes 5 (Taylor 79), Fraser 6 (Brereton Diaz 62, 5); Archer 6 (Sugawara 73), Armstrong 5 (Sulemana 62, 6).

Booked: Armstrong; sent off: Stephens.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen 7; Gusto 6, Disasi 6, Adarabioyo 6, Cucurella 6 (Veiga 79); Caicedo 6, Enzo 7; Madueke 8 (Sancho 72), Palmer 7 (Dewsbury-Hall 79), Joao Felix 7; Nkunku 6.

Referee: Tony Harrington.