A late goal from Branislav Ivanovic was enough to give Chelsea all three points against Southampton.
Team News - The starting eleven selected by Guus Hiddink showed no changes to the eleven that started in the FA Cup against Manchester City last weekend. John Terry, still recovering from his hamstring problem, wasn`t in the eighteen selected for the squad.
First Half - Southampton got the action underway but before the game could settle into any sort of pattern it looked as if Pedro had picked up a thigh injury with the Spaniard gesticulating he may have to come off, Oscar was the man sent to warm up before coming on with just seven minutes gone.
The first major chance of the game fell to Southampton when following a corner the ball was worked back into the area where Long out-jumped Azpilicueta but managed to head over when it looked as if he should score.
Team News - The starting eleven selected by Guus Hiddink showed no changes to the eleven that started in the FA Cup against Manchester City last weekend. John Terry, still recovering from his hamstring problem, wasn`t in the eighteen selected for the squad.
First Half - Southampton got the action underway but before the game could settle into any sort of pattern it looked as if Pedro had picked up a thigh injury with the Spaniard gesticulating he may have to come off, Oscar was the man sent to warm up before coming on with just seven minutes gone.
The first major chance of the game fell to Southampton when following a corner the ball was worked back into the area where Long out-jumped Azpilicueta but managed to head over when it looked as if he should score.
Chelsea responded with a corner set-piece of their own with Diego Costa seeing his flick at the near post being cleared off the line by Davis. Austin, making his full debut for the home side, saw his shot blocked. Targett delivered a probing cross aimed for Austin and Long but Ivanovic read the situation and headed the ball behind. Courtois eventually ended the Southampton pressure by punching the ball away from the second of two consecutive corners.
The first yellow card of the game was shown to Davis after he clearly pulled Fabregas back as the Spaniard looked to break quickly from midfield. Pushing forward, Austin delivered a dangerous ball into the box and Cahill quickly headed the ball away to avert any danger.
Oscar, trying his luck from twenty-five yards out, saw his effort go straight to the keeper. On the half hour mark, Diego Costa lost his marker but his resulting shot landed in the stands after clearing the bar. Fabregas, conceding possession in midfield, saw Austin clip an effort just wide of the post.
Chelsea, playing the offside trap, played it to perfection to catch Austin offside as he raced through looking to get onto a through ball. Courtois, untroubled so far, collected a Southampton free-kick that drifted into the area.
With forty-two minutes gone Chelsea fell behind when Shane Long scored. The goal came after a mistake from Baba Rahman who cushioned a header into the path of Long who calmly chipped the ball over the advancing Courtois.
The response from Chelsea was good with Fabregas finding Oscar and his ball in was deflected of Bertrand and Cesic was forced to turn the ball behind. One minute of stoppage time was played before the whistle was blown for half-time.
Second Half - Guus Hiddink made a change at half-time replacing Baba Rahman with Kenedy, although the change didn`t bring any tactical changes with it.
Fabregas meeting a cross from Oscar, saw his header fly over the bar. Hazard, pushing forward, saw his rising shot miss the target, as Chelsea looked for that equalizer. Mikel should have levelled matters when presented with a free header six yards out but it was too weak and, surprisingly, off target.
Chelsea were, with the wind behind them, enjoying the vast majority of the possession but were struggling to get any shots on target. Kenedy went on a decent run but his excellent ball in was smashed over the bar by Azpilicueta. Another move involving Willian and Hazard saw Diego Costa volley horribly wide from twelve yards out.
Diego Costa was starting to get edgy, tussles with Van Dijk and a couple of dodgy decisions were clearly riling the striker. One tussle with the Southampton defender saw Diego Costa receive a yellow card. Living on the edge Diego Costa and Bertrand tussled, the latter got booked whilst Diego Costa just smiled and stuck his tongue out.
A Southampton corner saw Van Dijk head the ball up in the air forcing Courtois to punch the ball away. With twenty minutes left Chelsea were still struggling to create clear-cut chances with Southampton showing just why they have kept s many clean-sheets recently.
The home side thought they`d earned a penalty when Cahill challenged Austin but the referee waved play on.
The equalizer did come though, in the seventy-fourth minute; when Cesc Fabregas netted, although the goal was, in all honesty, a little fortunate, hitting a cross towards Hazard that the Belgian, and everyone else, missed.
Chelsea were now in the ascendency and another attack saw Willian cut it back for Diego Costa but his shot was blocked. Willian driving forward; saw his shot go just inches wide of the post. Oscar, as Southampton lost possession again, saw another long range shot collected by Forster.
Hazard delivered the ball of the game across the face of the goal but there was nobody on hand to turn it in.
The pressure eventually paid off though when a corner was floated in and Branislav Ivanovic met the ball with a powerful header that Forster couldn`t keep out. Eighty-nine minutes played and Chelsea were ahead.
Four minutes of stoppage time were announced and Chelsea were doing their best to keep possession. Southampton tried to get back on level terms but a ball from Ward-Prowse to Mane saw the substitute caught offside.
In the third minute of stoppage time Hazard was replace by Matic as Hiddink looked to tie things down and Chelsea were to take the three points on offer.
The response from Chelsea was good with Fabregas finding Oscar and his ball in was deflected of Bertrand and Cesic was forced to turn the ball behind. One minute of stoppage time was played before the whistle was blown for half-time.
Second Half - Guus Hiddink made a change at half-time replacing Baba Rahman with Kenedy, although the change didn`t bring any tactical changes with it.
Fabregas meeting a cross from Oscar, saw his header fly over the bar. Hazard, pushing forward, saw his rising shot miss the target, as Chelsea looked for that equalizer. Mikel should have levelled matters when presented with a free header six yards out but it was too weak and, surprisingly, off target.
Chelsea were, with the wind behind them, enjoying the vast majority of the possession but were struggling to get any shots on target. Kenedy went on a decent run but his excellent ball in was smashed over the bar by Azpilicueta. Another move involving Willian and Hazard saw Diego Costa volley horribly wide from twelve yards out.
Diego Costa was starting to get edgy, tussles with Van Dijk and a couple of dodgy decisions were clearly riling the striker. One tussle with the Southampton defender saw Diego Costa receive a yellow card. Living on the edge Diego Costa and Bertrand tussled, the latter got booked whilst Diego Costa just smiled and stuck his tongue out.
A Southampton corner saw Van Dijk head the ball up in the air forcing Courtois to punch the ball away. With twenty minutes left Chelsea were still struggling to create clear-cut chances with Southampton showing just why they have kept s many clean-sheets recently.
The home side thought they`d earned a penalty when Cahill challenged Austin but the referee waved play on.
The equalizer did come though, in the seventy-fourth minute; when Cesc Fabregas netted, although the goal was, in all honesty, a little fortunate, hitting a cross towards Hazard that the Belgian, and everyone else, missed.
Chelsea were now in the ascendency and another attack saw Willian cut it back for Diego Costa but his shot was blocked. Willian driving forward; saw his shot go just inches wide of the post. Oscar, as Southampton lost possession again, saw another long range shot collected by Forster.
Hazard delivered the ball of the game across the face of the goal but there was nobody on hand to turn it in.
The pressure eventually paid off though when a corner was floated in and Branislav Ivanovic met the ball with a powerful header that Forster couldn`t keep out. Eighty-nine minutes played and Chelsea were ahead.
Four minutes of stoppage time were announced and Chelsea were doing their best to keep possession. Southampton tried to get back on level terms but a ball from Ward-Prowse to Mane saw the substitute caught offside.
In the third minute of stoppage time Hazard was replace by Matic as Hiddink looked to tie things down and Chelsea were to take the three points on offer.
Chelsea - Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Baba (Kenedy-46), Mikel, Fabregas, Willian, Hazard (Matic-90+3), Pedro (Oscar-7), Costa.
Unused Subs - Begovic, Traore, Remy, Loftus-Cheek.
Chelsea Scorers - Fabregas (75) Ivanovic (89)
Chelsea Yellow Cards/b> - Diego Costa
Chelsea Red Cards - Nil
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