Chelsea vs Southampton: Can Saints Cause A Shock Upset?
Champions League-chasing Chelsea are set to face Championship-bound Southampton, a fixture that could turn ugly for the Saints given their current form.
After a recent tough spell at home, most notably the 4-0 loss to Brighton, Ivan Jurić’s Southampton will aim to build on their away victory against Ipswich a few weeks ago.
However, a Chelsea side, looking to bounce back from two straight league defeats, will be longing for three points, amidst their European expectancies.
Previous Encounter
An injury-ridden Southampton suffered a hefty 5-1 defeat at the hands of Chelsea last time round. Despite Joe Aribo’s equaliser shortly after the Blues took the lead, Russell Martin’s men lost complete control of the game.
A red card for defender Jack Stephens, accompanied by further goals from Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and late substitute Jadon Sancho, ended any possible hope for a comeback.
Team News
“Bednarek will be out for this game; it’s nothing serious but for this game, he won’t play. The scan didn’t show anything; it is just fatigue.”
The Croatian went on to state that defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis will be back in the squad, following his substitution against Ipswich Town.
On-loan Frenchman Lesley Ugochukwu will be unavailable to play against his parent club. Despite previous disagreements with Flynn Downes, Jurić revealed:
“I think Flynn [Downes] will play tomorrow. He needs to do his job. I think everybody makes mistakes, but no problem. He knows how I appreciate him as a player.”
Chelsea defender Trevor Chalobah will miss tomorrow’s clash due to the injury he faced against Aston Villa.
Enzo Maresca has further confirmed that goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen will start, despite questions after his costly mistake on the weekend.
“If we need to change players every time there is a mistake, we need to change players game by game, many players. But no, nothing’s changed.”
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Jorgensen; Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sancho, Palmer, Nkunku; Neto
Southampton: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Bree, Bella-Kotchap, Wood, Welington; Downes, Aribo; Fernandes, Sulemana, Onuachu
Players To Watch
Pedro Neto – The Portuguese winger has been a bright spark in Chelsea’s recent outings, even stepping up as a makeshift striker. His pace and creativity provide him with the ability to unlock defenses, which could prove decisive against Southampton’s frail backline.
Paul Onuachu – The towering striker has been a rare positive for the struggling Saints, contributing with two goals in his last four Premier League games. With Southampton desperate for points, the Nigerian’s physical presence and recent scoring boost could be key against a Chelsea defence that’s shown recent vulnerability.
What to Expect?
A key – and recurring – weakness for Southampton will be their inability to perform man-to-man marking, a system that will frequently leave them exposed against a fluid, attacking side like Chelsea. With Southampton’s defenders tasked with individual players, gaps can emerge if forwards pull them out of position, as evidenced by the Brighton game at the weekend.
Chelsea, however, are not without their challenges, particularly with an injury crisis in their attacking ranks. Without a fully fit frontline, their ability to capitalise on Southampton’s defensive frailties could be hampered, leading to a possible reliance on midfielder Cole Palmer to provide the cutting edge.
Victory for the Blues is expected and highly likely, given each of the sides’ contrasting situations in the league. A high-scoring affair could be what Chelsea needs to kickstart their form for hope of Champions League contention next season.
Prediction: 3-0 Chelsea
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