Chelsea vs Southampton Review
Chelsea secured a comfortable 4-0 victory in the Premier League against a struggling Southampton, continuing their strong performance against teams at the bottom of the table with 12 wins in their last 15 encounters (2 draws, 1 loss). Although Chelsea had been underperforming, it seemed like a chance for the struggling Saints, but by halftime, the game was nearly out of their reach. Enzo Fernández set up Cole Palmer twice, but Palmer misfired on his first attempt and shot directly at Aaron Ramsdale, extending his goal drought to seven Premier League games. Fortunately for Chelsea, they broke the deadlock shortly after from a corner, with Tosin Adarabioyo’s header falling perfectly for Christopher Nkunku to score at the back post.
At the other end, Filip Jörgensen made a crucial save, deflecting Paul Onuachu’s header during one of Southampton’s rare offensive moments. A few minutes later, Chelsea extended their lead with Pedro Neto scoring after a well-timed run created space against the Saints. In control of the match, Chelsea netted a third goal before halftime, with Neto again playing a key role by providing a set-piece assist to Levi Colwill, marking his first goal of the season as an early birthday gift.
After the break, Chelsea maintained their dominance, but Enzo Maresca’s team struggled to convert several opportunities. Fernández set up another chance for Nkunku, but the French forward failed to direct his header on target. Palmer also missed a chance, sending a bouncing ball over the bar, and Jadon Sancho’s clever turn allowed Neto to get into a good position, but he mishandled the ball. Ultimately, the hosts secured a fourth and final goal 12 minutes before the end, with a quick counter-attack leading to substitute Tyrique George assisting Marc Cucurella for the finish.
The debut of 17-year-old Shim Mheuka marked a satisfying evening for Chelsea, who have returned to the top four, at least for now. After allowing nine goals from Chelsea in their two Premier League encounters this season, Southampton will be relieved to be done with them. Their troubling goal difference has taken another blow, but in reality, it probably won’t matter much as Ivan Jurić’s team sits at the bottom of the table with just nine points, 13 points away from safety.
