Southampton vs Chelsea LIVE: Eden Hazard, Ross Barkley and Alvaro Morata secure comfortable victory
Re-live the latest from the Premier League fixture at St Mary’s Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Southampton, who are yet to win at home this season, welcome unbeaten Chelsea to St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon.
Mark Hughes’ side are yet to impress this season, their solitary win coming at Crystal Palace before the international break, though they will be buoyed by their penalty shoot-out win at Everton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Chelsea are in third place coming into the weekend’s action, and beat Hungarian champions Vidi in the Europa League on Thursday; the Blues can go top with a win before Liverpool play Manchester City later on in the day.
What time does it start?
Southampton vs Chelsea kicks off at 2:15pm (BST) on Sunday 7th October.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports’ Main Event and Premier League channels from 1:00pm.
Sky Sports subscribers can also watch the game via the SkyGo app.
Highlights will be shown at 10:30pm on BBC One.
It’s a big game for…
Mark Hughes: The Saints boss has won just once at St Mary’s since taking charge last March, and will want a strong home performance against a team he has lost a Premier league record 19 games against as a manager. Southampton only escaped relegation in the final few weeks of last season, and need to make St Mary’s a formidable place for visiting teams once again - they’re currently only three points above the drop zone.
Weird /best stat…
14: Southampton have only won one of their last 14 home league matches, a run which goes back to November 2017.
Remember when…
Although Southampton have lost their last six matches against Chelsea in all competitions, the Saints stunned the then-champions at Stamford Bridge as goals from Steven Davis, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle clinched a 3-1 victory in October 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWelNSSGI-Y
Player to watch…
Olivier Giroud: The 32-year-old striker has history against Southampton in his brief Chelsea career. The Blues were 2-0 down in last season’s fixture, but the introduction of the Frenchman changed the game. He scored twice, and once in the FA Cup semi-final tie a week later. Since then, Giroud has nailed down the lone striker role, ahead of the misfiring Alvaro Morata, and despite not scoring yet in the Premier League this season, his link-up play with Eden Hazard has played a massive part in the Belgian’s terrific form.
Past three-meetings…
Chelsea 2 (Giroud, Morata) Southampton 0, FA Cup Semi-Final, April 2018
Southampton 2 (Tadic, Bednarek) Chelsea 3 (Giroud 2, Hazard), Premier League, April 2018
Chelsea 1 (Alonso) Southampton 0, Premier League, December 2017
Form guide…
Southampton: WWDLLD
Chelsea: WWDWDW
Odds…
Southampton to win: 5/1
Chelsea to win: 3/5
Draw: 3/1
(Odds provided by 888 Sport)
9 minutes
Eden Hazard is purring. Southampton's system almost affords him a free role and he is popping up all over the pitch. The Belgian looks threatening.
Willian wins another Chelsea corner. They failed to make nearly 20 of these count against Vidi in the Europa League...
12 minutes
Southampton try to break when Nathan Redmond wins the ball back but Willian stops the attack, beating Ryan Bertrand to the ball.
13 minutes
Firmly in their shell, now, Southampton. Chelsea relentlessly attacking.
You sense this may be the pattern of the game.
15 minutes
Manolo Gabbiani, usually a centre-forward, is so deep on the right. Danny Ings cuts a frustrated figure alone up front and it is a perfunctory chase from Ings as Southampton play a long ball.
17 minutes
Slick passing from Chelsea, Eden Hazard feeding N'Golo Kante who lays off for Ross Barkley but the midfielder's shot curls over the bar.
18 minutes
Southampton just about keep Chelsea out from another attack but make a mess of the clearance, with Ryan Bertand (lying prone after a hack away hits him) forced to concede a corner.
Poor delivery from Willian.
20 minutes
Marcos Alonso wins a corner off of Manolo Gabbiadini.
Can Willian do better with this one?
21 minutes
It isn't superb, but Chelsea work the ball to David Luiz in space on the right and he earns yet another corner kick.
One. Way. Traffic.
22 minutes
The crowd are roused as Southampton show a bit of fight, pressing higher up and making some firm challenges. And guess what? They win the ball back and nearly force a chance for Mario Lemina.
It has been too passive thus far from the home team.
More better play. Gabbiadini angrily powers away from N'Golo Kante but can't connect perfectly with his left-footed shot. Kepa gathers.
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