Date: Sunday 6th Oct 2019
Venue: St Mary’s Stadium
Kick-off: 14:00 BST
After a win and our first clean sheet of the season against Brighton last weekend, this afternoon’s game sees us at St Mary’s to take on Southampton.
Chelsea have lost on only one of their 12 trips to St Mary’s, winning the last four and we’re not doing too badly away so far this season either. In fact, despite the odd slip-up here and there, we’re doing better than most of us could have expected or indeed, hoped. In a season with a transfer ban, young players coming in, and Frank Lampard in his second season as a manager and his first managing in the Premier League, we’re getting to watch some lovely football as the players grow into the team.
Whilst many expect us to get a result today though, particularly given Southampton’s poor home record, we’ve shown some defensive frailties ourselves at times and conceded again midweek, so last weekend’s clean sheet remains our only one so far – and Southampton aren’t going to just sit back and watch this game.
Like Arsene Wenger in a transfer window – this will be tight.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says, “I know our record against Chelsea. I know it is a very strong team that is young, hungry, committed, with a good spirit. If you want to get something, you really have to come close to the highest level you can perform. This is what we have to do for 96 minutes or longer, and this is the goal for us for Sunday.
It is a team that has very high quality in every position. A lot of young players now in the team, and it is not a coincidence that they won the last three games, also in the Champions League. They are in good shape.”
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, meanwhile, says “It will be a tough match against a team with a very good manager. They are a very well organised team who play in different formations so it is hard to predict how they might come at you. But they come at you with a lot of pace with how they come at you off the ball. They have quality players. It is always a difficult place to go, especially when you are not at it, you have to be in tip-top shape to go there.
There’s a lot of energy in their team and the crowd can get behind them if they play with that kind of intensity which they have. We need to match it, at least, because we want to keep our momentum going.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Southampton Moussa Djenepo (hip) and Cedric Soares (calf) are both unavailable through injury although back-up goalkeeper Alex McCarthy (muscular problem) is expected to return to the squad.
For Chelsea, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles), Emerson (thigh) and Antonio Rudiger (groin) are still out although N’Golo Kante, should be available after returning for the win against Lille midweek.
TEAMS
SOUTHAMPTON (Possible line-up): Gunn; Bednarek, Vestergaard, Yoshida; Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Bertrand; Boufal; Redmond, Ings
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Kepa; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Tomori, Alonso; Kante; Jorginho; Kovacic; Willian, Mount; Abraham.
LAST SEASON
Southampton 0-3 Chelsea (7th October 2018)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
SOUTHAMPTON: LWDWLL
CHELSEA: DWDWLW
OTHER STUFF
- Southampton have won only two of their last 20 Premier League meetings with Chelsea and are winless in the last seven.
- Chelsea have won on nine of their 12 visits to St. Mary’s, including the last four.
- Southampton have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games.
- Chelsea have won only four of their last 12 Premier League fixtures.
- Southampton have just one point at home so far this season.
- Chelsea are aiming for a third successive away victory in the Premier League for the first time since December 2018.
- Southampton are winless in five matches at St Mary’s
- Chelsea have conceded 27 goals away from home in the Premier League in 2019.
- Southampton have scored in each of their last 17 Premier League home games but have only kept one clean sheet during that period.
- Chelsea kept their first Premier League clean sheet in seven games against Brighton last weekend.
PREDICTION
BBC Sport: Southampton 1-2 Chelsea
Sky Sports: Southampton 1-1 Chelsea
Sportsmole: Southampton 1-2 Chelsea
