Southampton 1-4 Chelsea: Blues climb to fifth after comfortable win
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By Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport
Tammy Abraham believed his eighth league goal of the year as in-form Chelsea swept aside Southampton at St Marys to climb to fifth in the Premier League.
Chelsea took the lead when Abrahams looping ending from Callum Hudson-Odois pass was adjudged to have crossed the line before the intervention of Maya Yoshida and dominated from the outset.
The Blues lead awakened from close range, until Danny Ings poked home Yan Valerys cut-back to decrease the arrears.
The visitors restored their two-goal edge five minutes before half-time, NGolo Kantes hit from the edge of their place carrying a wicked deflection off Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in its way beyond Angus Gunn.
Two second-half replacements united to put up Chelseas fourth, Michy Batshuayi slotting house Christian Pulisics through-ball to set the seal to a triumph for the side of Frank Lampard.
The result leaves struggling Southampton in 16th place – only 1 point above the relegation zone.
After a stuttering start to the campaign, there are indications that this Chelsea side that is young are beginning to build up a head of steam .
This is the Blues fourth successive win in all competitions – an outcome which lifts them level on points with Leicester City and only two behind winners Manchester City, who lost .
Youngsters Abraham and Mount have obtained the top flight from storm after spending last year on loan at Aston Villa and Derby County respectively, along with the duo were heavily involved here as the visitors raced into an early lead.
Hudson-Odoi delivered a long ball over the top of the Southampton defence before the ball can clear to safety, and Abraham was to it crossing the line.
Chelsea capitalised on a bad part of Southampton protecting to double their lead seven minutes after, Mount latching on to the precise pass of Willian before slamming home his fourth league goal of the campaign.
There seemed to be no way back to the Saints at that point as Chelsea continued to lay siege to the home goal, but Ralph Hasenhuttls side pulled a goal out of nothing if Valery wriggled his way past a few Blues defenders before putting up Ings, who was left with a simple finish.
There was an element of luck on Chelseas third – tier Kantes speculative drive off Hojbjerg and Gunn – however, the visitors that are dominant could have won with a higher margin.
Hudson-Odoi was thwarted by Gunn four minutes after the restart, whereas Abraham and Willian both had goal-bound attempts blocked by the edge of the region.
Batshuayi finally completed the scoring in the last minute of normal time, running to the pass of Pulisic and slotting the ball through the legs of Gunn.
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