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)
25 minutes
What a miss from Danny Ings!
Brilliant burst from Ryan Bertrand surging in behind and whipping the most delicious ball in. Ings is unmarked six yards out but side-foots the volley over the bar with goal agape.
27 minutes
Last-ditch from Wesley Hoedt, and Chelsea have penalty appeals waved away.
Hoedt slides in on Olivier Giroud who appears to get to the ball first. A corner is given but it is tellingly guilty look from Hoedt to the referee. Lucky!
29 minutes
Southampton appear to have gone to a back-four. Jan Bednarek is now at right-back with Cedric Soares slightly ahead of him and Manolo Gabbiadini freed, sensibly, to move to a more central area.
A bad moment for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, trying to beat Ross Barkley in his own half and losing out.
Barkley plays a lovely weighted pass for Hazard and the Belgian wasn't going to miss.
And just as Southampton seemed to be getting back in to the game...
33 minutes
The vocal minority in the ground are now the Chelsea fans. The home supporters need to lift their team again.
How big might that Danny Ings miss be?
35 minutes
Another excellent sliding challenge from Wesley Hoedt prevents Eden Hazard finding his second.
Corner, Chelsea, again.
36 minutes
Awful moment for Antonio Rudiger playing a pass to no-one, and Manolo Gabbiadini is first to react and pick up the ball.
The Italian could try to find Danny Ings running in behind but instead opts for the spectacular. Safely caught by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
38 minutes
More intricate patterns being knitted by Chelsea in the final third and N'Golo Kante's shot is blocked behind.
David Luiz can't quite find a finish from the corner but Chelsea continue to press.
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