Chelsea Eden Hazard was the best player on the pitch and once again made the difference for Chelsea, scoring the only goal of the game in the second half.
The first half saw the Blues dominate the ball and create some decent openings, without actually testing the Southampton goalkeeper.
Things had to change, and sure enough as soon as they emerged from half time, the players looked revved up. Cesc Fabregas found Eden Hazard with a pass over the top, and he played in Olivier Giroud who bulldozed through to score with some clever feet.
After that Southampton struck back with a great chance to equalise, but Shane Long wasn’t able to bring his side level.
From there the game began to open up more and more, and Southampton had a couple of great chances to score.
In the end it was Chelsea who sealed the game, with substitute Alvaro Morata nodding home from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross. He had more chance to finish things off, but wasn’t able to take them.
Here are our ratings from today’s featured Chelsea players…
Starting Eleven:
Willy Caballero – 5 – A couple of poor kicks out from the back, never looks fully comfortable. Dropped a ball over the line and was saved by the referee’s whistle.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 6 – Looked a little threatened under high balls but brought real quality with his cross to Alvaro Morata to score the second.
Gary Cahill – 6 – Solid at the back without being tested too much.
Antonio Rudiger- 6 – His ability to move into the channel to cover for Emerson was handy against Southampton’s pace.
Victor Moses- 6 – Made consistent progress and attacking threat down the right, but his quality in the final third was lacking, as it so often is.
N’Golo Kante – 7 – Motored around the midfield and actually ended up with a lot of the ball at times.
Cesc Fabregas – 6 – Found Giroud with a clever angled ball in the first half, and set up the opening goal with a long pass. Still a passenger at time, although he’s always good for a couple of chances created every game.
Emerson Palmieri – 7 – Good work down the left consistently, helping the team play out from the back. A couple of whipped crosses that somebody should have got on the end of.
Willian – 7 – Dangerous early run and shot, but faded in the second period. Taken off after an hour and stormed down the tunnel.
Olivier Giroud – 6 – Looked desperate to get on the end of a cross in the first half but couldn’t produce much when one reached him. In the second half he didn’t have to wait for long, and he latched onto Eden Hazard’s through ball and forced his way through the Southampton defence to score.
Eden Hazard – 7 – Looked on form in the early stages with some bright bursts and runs.
Substitutes:
Alvaro Morata – 6 – Headed in the second with his first touch but then missed a flurry of chances.
Pedro – 6 – Ended up playing almost a central midfield role after coming on.
Tiemoue Bakayoko – 6 – Didn’t do much right or wrong as he played the last half an hour.
