Southampton vs Chelsea LIVE result: Stream, latest score, goal updates, team news, prediction and more
Re-live the game at St Mary's
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Chelsea's revival under Frank Lampard continued Sunday with a 4-1 Premier League win at Southampton that stretched the team's winning run to four games across all competitions.
Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante scored in the first half, before Christian Pulisic set up fellow substitute Michy Batshuayi for Chelsea's fourth goal in the 89th minute.
Callum Hudson-Odoi returned for his first Premier League start of the season in the only change Lampard made to the side that defeated Lille 2-1 away in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Hudson-Odoi, who had been laboring with an Achilles problem, set up the visitors' first goal in the 17th minute. Abraham got there just ahead of Angus Gunn and lifted it over the goalkeeper with the ball crossing the line before Maya Yoshida could clear.
Mount claimed Chelsea's second in the 24th thanks to some lax defending from the home side after Jorginho and Willian linked up to send him through.
But Danny Ings pulled one back against the run of play in the 30th after Yan Valery eluded three Chelsea defenders and crossed for Ings at the near post.
Kante restored the visitors' two-goal lead in the 40th with a deflected shot.
Fikayo Tomori, called up by England for the first time for upcoming European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, almost gifted Southampton a goal before the break, when Ings seized upon his attempted back pass. Ings rounded Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa but Jorginho got back to block his shot.
Gunn's outstretched foot denied Hudson-Odoi after the break. Hudson-Odoi made way for Pulisic in the 80th, his first appearance other than the League Cup since Aug. 31.
The United States midfielder brilliantly set up former Borussia Dortmund teammate Batshuayi to complete the scoring by dinking the ball in behind the Southampton defense. Batshuayi fired the ball through Gunn's legs.
The win lifted Chelsea to fifth place after eight rounds, just behind Leicester on goal difference.
AP
Prediction
Chelsea to be too strong for Southampton after a tough encounter. 2-1.
Confirmed line-ups
Southampton XI: Gunn; Valery, Bednarek, Yoshida, Bertrand; Hojbjerg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Redmond; Long, Ings.
Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Tomori, Zouma, Alonso; Jorginho, Kanté; Willian, Mount, Hudson-Odoi; Abraham.
Latest news
Christian Pulisic needs to “work daily” to show he deserves to play regularly for Chelsea, manager Frank Lampard has said.
The United States international did not even make the bench for Wednesday’s Champions League match at Lille and has struggled to make his mark since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Pulisic’s £58 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund was agreed in January – when Lampard was not manager – but he has not played in the Premier League since August 31 and may not even be selected as a substitute for the Blues’ fixture at Southampton on Sunday.
After joining the club for a significant amount of money, more was expected of the American, who turned in an underwhelming display in his recent start against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
On Pulisic, Lampard said: “He’s level. I spoke to him two days before the Grimsby game and was very clear about the standards and we have to give him the fact he’s moved country and moved leagues.
“He’s as young as all the young players we keep talking about. He’s just turned 21, so I think, if anyone is getting too excited about this, they should calm down because he’s started five games for us.
“What he needs to do is work, work daily, work to show within the group that he deserves to play as all the players do, so that’s what the focus on everyone is.”
Pulisic was not the only high-profile player not involved at Lille, with Ross Barkley not in the 18.
And Lampard added: “This is one of my difficult problems in this job. I have good players and everyone has a story.
“Pulisic has a price tag, Barkley is an international player, Mason Mount is an international player, Callum Hudson-Odoi just signed a new contract, Bayern Munich wanted to buy him last summer and he’s an international player.
“Ruben Loftus-Cheek will come back and be an international player. I can’t pick them all. All I have to demand of them is that they show me in training and show me they are worthy of the place.
“It’s just my job. Next week you might be asking me about two other names. It’s the competition that we have.”
The return to fitness of Hudson-Odoi has further pushed Pulisic down the pecking order, although the England youngster was recently warned by Lampard.
After the 7-1 win over Grimsby, the Chelsea boss admitted the 21-year-old had areas where “he needs to learn” if he wants to become a regular.
Since then, Hudson-Odoi has been an impact substitute on two occasions for the Blues, setting up goals in the wins over Brighton and Lille.
“I’m really pleased and that has to continue. We can all focus on Pulisic from the other day but Callum’s the same and I have to speak in the real world when I speak to them and sometimes as a manager you want more,” Lampard said.
“You have to be honest and the players have to react and Callum has now come on with two assists in the games he’s come on and that’s what you want to keep pushing.”
Olivier Giroud is another who has struggled for game-time since Lampard took over at Stamford Bridge, but the Frenchman was praised by the ex-Derby boss.
Lampard added: “My relationship is really good with him. He’s a great professional, trains at a level everyday, great in the dressing room and in the game passes on experience.
“Everyone wants to play. I understand that and accept that. I was one of the worst. I hated not playing. I was terrible so on this side of the fence I get it, but all I want to see is positivity, how they are daily in the place and I’m seeing that.
“All good teams need a big squad in these modern days to try and be a successful team and it will need everyone pulling through the season in the same direction whether playing or not and, to be fair to Oli, he’s been fantastic and we’ll need him.”
PA
Southampton starting XI:
Gunn
Valery
Bednarek
Yoshida
Betrand
Hojbjerg
Romeu
Ward-Prowse
Redmond
Long
Ings
Chelsea starting XI:
Kepa
Azpilicueta
Tomori
Zouma
Alonso
Jorginho
Kante
Willian
Mount
Hudson-Odoi
Abraham
The big news for Chelsea? Hudson-Odoi finally starts after an achilles tendon injury he picked up in April.
Kante is also starting once more after a series of injury problems. Is he finally set to play a big part in Chelsea's season?
As for the hosts...Valery in at right back, and Long also starts in what could either be a front three with Redmond and Ings. Could also set up more like a 4-2-2-2 with one of Redmond or Long playing off the front two. No Vestergaard in the squad as Bednarek partners Yoshida.
Gareth Southgate will be casting his eye upon the trio of Chelsea academy graduates in the England squad- Tomori with his first call up, Abraham returns and Mount in once more. Surely to be joined by Hudson-Odoi next international break when his injury woes are in the past.
The hosts from the south coast have lost their last two games, but were perhaps unfortunate last week against Spurs who were down to 10 men before half time. Hassenhuttl's side applied the pressure throughout the second half, but came unstuck by Harry Kane's composed finish.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies