Chelsea welcome managerless Southampton to Stamford Bridge in a Premier League encounter.
Victory would see Graham Potter’s Blues climb to ninth with Liverpool not in action until Saturday teatime.
Southampton meanwhile can move off the foot of the table with a win if Bournemouth lose elsewhere.
Team News
Ben Chilwell is a doubt for Chelsea after he was substituted in their Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund in midweek, having suffered a knock to his ankle.
Raheem Sterling (knee) is a doubt and could face a late fitness test.
Edouard Mendy (finger), N’Golo Kante (hamstring), Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja (both knee) remain absent.
Southampton could welcome Kyle Walker-Peters back into contention after he missed their last two matches with a hamstring injury.
Alex McCarthy (ankle) again is a doubt but Valentino Livramento (muscle) and Juan Larios (adductor) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Chelsea host Southampton in a 3pm GMT kick-off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 18 February, untelevised in UK.
Stat Attack
- Chelsea have won just two of their last six previous Premier League meetings against Southampton (W2, D2, L2).
- Southampton have won just one of their last five previous Premier League visits to Chelsea (W1, D2, L2).
- Ex Chelsea forward, Timo Werner scored three goals in their last two league matches at home against Southampton but he returned to RB Leipzig last summer.
- A draw would see Chelsea record four consecutive draws for the first time since a five-match streak between April-May 2007.
- Southampton are winless in their four league visits to London this season (L4), during which they scored twice courtesy of James Ward-Prowse but conceded 10 goals.
Prediction
End product continues to be Chelsea’s Achilles heel after yet another wasteful performance in their midweek defeat at Borussia Dortmund, yet they can take heart from how dominant they were in attack but something has to change if they’re to start getting wins.
Southampton meanwhile are again without a manager but they were their own downfall against Wolves last weekend, in a mixed performance littered with wasteful finishing and sloppy second-half defending, amidst a better attacking performance than they produced a fortnight ago at Brentford.
Nathan Jones consequently was sacked as manager less than 24 hours later, so I do expect Southampton to come out with a fresh bounce but unless they can shore up their defence and improve their end product, I can’t see them getting anything here.
Chelsea therefore must take advantage of this opportunity because if they can’t beat a managerless Southampton team, I don’t see them fighting for a top-four finish this season but they really should make their superior quality count after two progressive performances.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Southampton
Result: Chelsea 0-1 Southampton
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