Chelsea sauntered to anotherPremier League victory on Wednesday night as they thrashed ten-man Southampton 5-1 at St. Mary's.
The hosts were already 3-1 down when captain Jack Stephens saw red, with Southampton capitulating time-and-time again in the build-up phase before half-time and Chelsea pounced.
The Blues made the most of a depleted Saints outfit to coast to victory, with their triumph leaving them now seven points off league leaders Liverpool after the Reds were held by Newcastle at St. James' Park. Southampton remain at the foot of the table following Wednesday's defeat.
How the game unfolded
Enzo Maresca has typically made wholesale changes for Chelsea's midweek fixtures this term, and he wasn't afraid to do so even for a Premier League outing here. The Italian made seven alterations from the side that cruised past Aston Villa on Sunday, but the Blues didn't miss a beat on the south coast.
There were goals at both ends of the pitch to start the contest, with Southampton starting brightly and cancelling out Axel Disasi's header from Enzo Fernandez's corner. Kyle Walker-Peters, deployed in a hugely challenging role by his manager, twice made Fernandez look a little silly before he teed up Joe Aribo for the hosts' brightest moment of the night.
Saints self-infliction then undermined their positive start. Noni Madueke pinched a hospital Joe Lumley pass intended for Walker-Peters in the centre of the pitch and teed up Christopher Nkunku for a simple finish.
At 2-1, Chelsea settled into the contest and started to have their way with the hosts. They created superiorities all over the pitch and were able to progress forward at will. They looked like scoring every time they entered the Southampton half, and the signs were ominous for Russell Martin's men after Madueke added a third following a flowing move.
A subtle but nonetheless stupid hair pull from Stephens on Marc Cucurella ensured he received his marching orders before half-time, with Southampton forced to play the remaining 50 minutes with ten men.
Southampton offered the odd spark of attacking endeavour and remained a threat in transition despite Chelsea's superiority. Filip Jorgensen was drawn into an excellent save to deny Mateus Fernandes, but his opposite number was worked far more frequently as the Blues aimed to put the contest to bed. Lumley made save after save to keep the scoreline at 3-1 heading into the final 20 minutes.
Maresca's side eventually netted a fourth through a poaching Cole Palmer, who won't score an easier goal in his career, and there was time for Chelsea to add a fifth through susbtitute Jadon Sancho. The Blues really could've hit double digits, but they were denied by an impressive Lumley shot-stopping performance and the woodwork on a couple of occasions.
Still, there was plenty for the Blues boss to be pleased with.
Noni Madueke
Noni Madueke shone for the Blues on his return to the XI / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages
An argument could be made for Chelsea being the only Premier League team to make as many changes as seven from their supposed strongest XI and put out a side boasting this much quality.
Sure, there were a couple of teething issues between the rather unfamiliar centre-back pairing, but Chelsea otherwise enjoyed a stress-free night at St. Mary's.
Maresca's subtle game-by-game tweaks seem to always given the Blues the best chance of outmanouvering their opponents. Here, Malo Gusto's inversions into the pivot freed up Fernandez to work in tandem with Palmer, and the box structure created by Chelsea's midfield overloaded Southampton's trio, who needed Walker-Peters to step out of defence to match the Blues in the middle of the park.
Their work was the ball was slick and efficient despite the changes, with Maresca's rotated XI quickly growing familiar with one another. The wide players were magnificent for different reasons; Felix for his craft and guile when drifting into central positions, and Madueke for his variety in one-on-one situations. Both played as if they had something to prove.
They've proven themselves against sterner opponents this season, but this display was still well worthy of appreciation.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca has quietened title talk / Robin Jones/GettyImages
Even the most self-assured of Chelsea stars, Palmer and Madueke, have been keen to echo the sentiments of their manager in quietening title talk.
However, the Blues have to be in the conversation. They've picked up 14 points from a possible 18 in their previous six league outings, and could end the night in second after bulking up their goal difference at Southampton.
With Newcastle pegging league leaders Liverpool back late on at St. James' Park, Chelsea are now seven points adrift, two less than before. They're in the hunt, and while they travel to Tottenham on Sunday, their run up until a trip to the Etihad Stadium at the end of January appears kind on paper.
They've got a great chance to eat into Liverpool's lead, but Maresca will doubtlessly re-assert his side's stealth in the race.
Nathan Wood, Christopher Nkunku
Christopher Nkunku benefitted from a woeful Southampton build-up sequence in the first half / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages
You might respect Russell Martin's idealism, but there's no denying that Southampton's unrelenting willingness to play out from the back has veered towards outright stupidity on the courage continuum.
Nkunku's finish into an empty net was the ninth goal Southampton have conceded from an error this season. They're on the verge of already matching Brentford's unwanted single season record of ten.
Alex McCarthy was the primary culprit on their last St. Mary's outing against Liverpool, with the goalkeeper's performance that day forcing Martin into a change with Aaron Ramsdale still out injured. Lumley has been thrust into a starting role, but it was his kamikaze pass into Walker-Peters which led to Nkunku's easy goal after Madueke pinched possessiong off the Saints defender.
Lumley's decision-making was poor in possession throughout, with boos ringing out across St. Mary's when the goalkeeper was rushed into an errant pass which landed at the feet of Palmer towards the end of the first-half.
Martin's style proved successful in the second tier, but he hasn't got the players in the build-up phase to cope with the Premier League's more intense and astute pressers. Chelsea had a field day setting traps in the first half.
Jack Stephens, Russell Martin
Captain Stephens was sent off for a second time in the Premier League this season / Robin Jones/GettyImages
Look, Chelsea were 3-1 up and coasting anyway. Stephens' sending-off would not have affected the outcome of Wednesday night's game, but that doesn't render the moment any less stupid on behalf of the Saints skipper.
This was much more subtle than his woeful challenge on Alejandro Garnacho earlier in the season which also resulted in a red card. Stephens' hair pull on Cucurella was missed by referee Tony Harrington on-field, but VAR swiftly intervened and rightfully punished the Saints captain.
Given the scoreline at the time of the incident and what Southampton were already up against given their array of key absences, this was an utterly careless act.
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