Southampton kick off the latest Super Sunday as they welcome Chelsea to St Marys’ in a mid table Premier League clash.
Southampton could possibly move up to eleventh with a win whilst Chelsea could possibly enter the top four, depending on what happens between Arsenal and Bournemouth in their meeting.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesAlex McCarthy could return in goal for Southampton after missing recent matches with a muscle injury.
Cedric Soares (calf) and Moussa Djenepo (thigh) are still absent for the Saints, although Soares could return after the international break.
Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns as Ruben Loftus-Cheek (achilles), Antonio Rudiger (groin), Emerson Palmieri (thigh) and Marco van Ginkel (knee) all remain sidelined.
Form
Southampton have taken seven points in their last five league games, although just one point came at home, as the Saints remain winless at St Mary’s coming into this fixture.
Chelsea finally recorded three consecutive wins this season after taking wins over Grimsby, Brighton then Lille in the past week and a half, although they yet to draw an away league game this season having taken two wins and a loss from their last three domestic trips on the road.
Stat Attack
- January’s goalless draw at Stamford Bridge ended a seven match losing run for Southampton against Chelsea in all competitions.
- Former Chelsea winger, Eden Hazard scored in each of the Blues’ last two trips to St Mary’s.
- Chelsea’s last three league goals have come from players who didn’t graduate through the academy, ending a run of 11 goals in the four preceding matches beforehand which all were scored by players who had come through the academy.
- Southampton’s Jan Bednarek is the only player to have made more than one error which led to two of the Saints’ 11 conceded goals this season.
- Five of Chelsea’s eight away league goals this season have so far come from Tammy Abraham.
Prediction
Chelsea should come into this game high on confidence after taking three consecutive wins, which has to be a concern for Southampton who have been solid yet inconsistent at times this season.
I am therefore expecting a good battle between two teams contrasting in form because the Saints do find another level against the top teams, although Chelsea should pull off a tight victory here given their better recent head-to-head form over Southampton.
Prediction: Southampton 1-2 Chelsea
Result: Southampton 1-4 Chelsea