Marcos Alonso’s first half strike was enough to secure all three points for Chelsea as they picked up their 8th win in their last 10 league games against Southampton. The Spaniard’s free kick seconds before the break got the Blues the win they deserved as they were almost made to pay for their poor finishing by a late Southampton flourish.
The win moved Antonio Conte’s men level on points with Manchester United in 2nd place before their game against West Brom on Sunday but the gap to Manchester City is still the same after they thrashed Spurs on Saturday evening.
Conte deployed the same front three that were superb against Huddersfield in midweek, leaving a fit again Alvaro Morata on the bench. The Blues dominated for much of the first half and they got their first sight of goal when Marcos Alonso and Willian worked the ball into the Southampton area before the latter put his shot wide of the far post when, in reality, it should’ve found the net. Ryan Bertrand made a late recovery to deny the Brazilian moments later as Eden Hazard’s ball missed Pedro before the former Chelsea left back cut its path to Willian at the back post.
Willian and Alonso combined again with the winger somehow squirming out of a tight spot down by the corner flag and finding Alonso, who had made his way into the area. The Spaniard opted to hit it with his weaker right foot and Fraser Forster made a comfortable save but the danger signs were there for all to see. N’Golo Kante had a long-range shot deflected and then saved by Forster after Hazard set it back to him on the edge of the D.
The only goal of the game came deep into first-half stoppage time when Maya Yoshida was turned by Hazard before bringing down the little Belgian around 25 yards from goal. Forster’s wall had left a gap to their right and Alonso could see the bottom left corner of the Saints’ goal. The whistle went with Forster with his hands on his knees and Alonso bent the ball around the wall and into that very corner beyond the reach of the giant goalkeeper. The goal came at a crucial time with Southampton needing to come out in the second half with more ambition and therefore leaving more space.
Willian’s finishing didn’t improve after the break as he fired high and wide after expertly working some space on the edge of the area. Charlie Austin was introduced by Mauricio Pellegrino and the Saints looked far more dangerous straight away. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg played the in-form Austin through but Thibaut Courtois denied him, diving down to his left to stop the shot. Courtois was in the action once again moments later when he went to pick up the ball on the edge of his own area. The ball was agonisingly close to being outside the box and that’s what the Southampton players were complaining about as the big Belgian scooped it up.
The referee played on and Chelsea continued to push for a second goal. Alonso couldn’t guide a header goal-wards from Victor Moses’s cross after Alvaro Morata had seen his shot batted away by Forster. Southampton also probed for an equaliser, Sofiane Boufal sent a through ball into Charlie Austin’s path and the English striker won the physical battle with Andreas Christensen but could only poke the ball into Courtois’ onrushing frame.
The Blues were nearly out of sight minutes later when Alvaro Morata burst down the right and was fouled by Mario Lemina. Willian’s quick thinking saw him play Cesc Fabregas into a good position but the substitute’s effort squeezed through Forster’s legs and rolled along the goal line before Ryan Bertrand cleared it. Dale Stephens was lucky to get away with a push on Fabregas as he burst into the box and the midfielder was off balance as he poked the ball towards goal.
Austin had another chance in the closing stages but he couldn’t guide his near-post effort on target and the Blues made it over the line and left Stamford Bridge with all three points.
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