Premier League: Chelsea vs Southampton 0-1 Report

A heroic defensive display helped Southampton secure three crucial points in the Premier League survival race at Stamford Bridge.

Graham Potter’s side have won just once in all competitions since late December, while it is the capital’s second consecutive defeat after they lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last week.

The result left Chelsea in 10th place, 10 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United, who now have a game in hand.

Southampton remain bottom but the Saints would have been optimistic about the result and the performance, with James Ward-Prowse’s stunning free-kick proving to be a crucial factor in the team’s first game since Nathan Jones left as chief engineer.

Santos had a golden chance to take the lead after three minutes when a mistake from Benoit Badiashile put Kamaldeen Sulemana in a dangerous position, but the striker saved his shot from Kepa Arrizabalaga before Stuart Armstrong saw a shot deflected by Kalidou Koulibaly.

The visitors came close again in the 16th minute when Paul Onuachu headed a Ward-Prowse cross onto the bar before Noni Madueke saw a left footed shot saved by Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.

Cesar Azpilicueta found the side netting for Chelsea in the 28th minute before Bazunu made a clever save to avoid Datro Fofana’s low shot in the 41st minute, but Southampton confined Chelsea to midfield rather than opening opens. Stamford Bridge.

In the final moments of the first half, the visitors managed to take the lead when set piece specialist Ward-Prowse brilliantly flicked a free-kick into the back of Chelsea’s goal.

Raheem Sterling and Wesley Fofana came on for the hosts at half-time and the former set up Mason Mount with a skillful cross in the 50th minute, but the striker’s header went wide.

Sterling intervened again in the 52nd minute, and Badiashile’s assist put the ball in front of goal, but Jan Bednarek made an important block.

However, Chelsea’s pressure mounted and Azpilicueta went wide with a low shot in the 56th minute after Mateo Kovacic’s defender was found.

Sterling then saw a shot on goal blocked by Ainsley Maitland-Niles before the England international’s header was deflected off the line by Romain Perraud, Romeo Lavia curling his shot over the bar.

Adam Armstrong came close to a second for Southampton in the 73rd minute but the striker’s effort was saved by Kepa as Chelsea lived dangerously at Stamford Bridge.

It was 12 minutes of stoppage time in London and João Felix and Mykhaylo Mudryk were late but Southampton held on, with Ruben Selles securing victory in his first game.

Chelsea’s next game is a trip to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on February 26, while Southampton are set to take on Leeds United the day before.

Lineups:

Kepa; Azpilicueta (c) (Chalobah 84), Koulibaly (W Fofana h-t), Badiashile, Chilwell (Gallagher 84); Madueke (Mudryk 64), Enzo, Kovacic, Mount (Havertz 64); Joao Felix, D Fofana (Sterling h-t)

Subs not used: Bettinelli, Hall, Zakaria

Southampton (4-2-3-1): 

Bazunu; Maitland-Niles (Lyanco 90+5), Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Perraud; Ward-Prowse (c), Lavia (Diallo 87); Sulemana (Mara 59), S Armstrong (Walcott 59), Elyounoussi (Alcaraz 87); Onuachu (A Armstrong 59)

Subs not used: Caballero, Walker-Peters, Djenepo

Scorers:

Man Of the Match : James Ward-Prowse