Chelsea will look to earn maximum points when they travel to Southampton this Tuesday in the fifth round of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Venue: St. Mary’s Stadium (Southampton)
Key Statistics
Southampton have lost seven of their last nine games with Chelsea at St. Mary’s Stadium.
The hosts have won just one league game at home in eight attempts (D1, L6).
However, they have only failed to score once in their last five home league games.
Chelsea have had a player sent off in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since October 2014.
The visitors have kept two clean sheets in their last three away league games.
Each of Chelsea’s last four league away games were won or lost ‘to nil’ (W2, L2).
Head to head
In 46 Premier League meetings between both sides, Chelsea has 26 wins, while Southampton only has nine wins.
Latest performances in all competitions
Southampton: L-W-W-D-L
Chelsea: W-L-D-W-W
Southampton
After a poor start to the league campaign, Southampton have improved on their performance.
The Saints lost their first game of the season to Tottenham (4-1) but snatched a draw against Leeds United before recording impressive wins against Leicester City (2-1) and Cambridge United (3-0 in the EFL Cup). However, their three-game unbeaten sequence was halted last time out as they were narrowly beaten by Manchester United.
Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl felt his side “deserved more” from the loss, though he’ll have been pleased with the warm reception the fans gave the team afterwards.
Despite the reception from the club supporters, Hasenhüttl will be under no illusions that results are needed to keep the Saints faithful onside and lift Southampton up the table.
But Chelsea are not the best side for them to be hopeful of getting a result as the Saints haven’t won a home head-to-head game since March 2013 (D2, L7) and conceded six without reply here last term.
That defeat forms part of just one home win in eight attempts in the Premier League (D1, L6). They will hope they can put up a better performance this time and perhaps snatch their first win over the Blues in nine years
Possible Southampton starting line-up
Gavin Bazunu; Kyle Walker-Peters, Armel Bella-Kotchap, Jan Bednarek, Mohammed Salisu, Moussa Djenepo; James Ward-Prowse, Sekou Mara, Joe Aribo; Mohamed Elyounoussi, Che Adams.
Injured: Valentino Livramento
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Chelsea
Chelsea’s struggles in the Premier League continued despite earning a win in their last outing.
The Blues beat Leicester City 2-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a brace by summer signing Raheem Sterling. However, they will count themselves lucky to have escaped with maximum points given their performance on the day and the first-half red card to Connor Gallagher, whose sending-off means that Thomas Tuchel’s side have now had a player sent off in back-to-back PL games for the first time since October 2014.
Tuchel who missed the game against Leicester due to suspension will return to the dugout hoping to inspire his side to a win as they look to continue on an upward trajectory after an indifferent start to the season that has seen them take seven points from the first four games, while losing embarrassingly to Leeds United in their first match away from home (3-0).
Possible Chelsea starting line-up
Edouard Mendy; Reece James, Kalidou Koulibaly, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella; Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek; Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling; Kai Havertz.
Injured: N’Golo Kante
Doubtful: None
Unavailable: Marcos Alonso
Suspended: Connor Gallagher
Prediction
Southampton 1-2 Chelsea
