MY ACCOUNT
– Chelsea have only lost two of their previous 15 games at Stamford Bridge
– Southampton have lost five of their last six in all competitions
– Recommended bet: Chelsea to win – half-time/full-time
Chelsea’s difficult season continued with a 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, and their battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League continues with a home match against Southampton.
The Blues have 16 games to bridge a ten-point gap between themselves and the top four and cannot afford many more mistakes.
However, they should fancy their chances against rock-bottom Southampton, who parted company with Nathan Jones after last Saturday’s 2-1 loss at home to Wolves.
Ruben Selles has taken temporary charge of first-team affairs at the south coast club, who are four points adrift of safety.
Team news
Chelsea are playing a waiting game with Raheem Sterling, who has missed the last two matches with a minor knee injury, but their injury list continues to shrink.
Mateo Kovacic and Wesley Fofana were unused substitutes for Wednesday’s trip to Dortmund.
That leaves just four players, Armando Broja, Christian Pulisic (both knee), N’Golo Kante (thigh) and Edouard Mendy (broken finger), on the sidelines.
Kyle Walker-Peters (thigh) has been back in training for Southampton as he closes in on a first-team return, but the visitors are without Juan Larios (groin) and Valentino Livramento (muscle strain).
The stats
Chelsea’s loss to Dortmund leaves them with just one victory in nine games in 2023.
They have registered three successive Premier League draws for the first time since February 2012 and are the lowest scorers among the top 11 with 23 goals from 22 matches.
The Blues have not scored twice in any match this year and have failed to score in three of their last four fixtures.
Southampton have lost three games on the bounce and have not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 Premier League games.
Their points tally (15 from 22 games) is ten less than at the same point last season.
Prediction
Chelsea have been putting in a lot of strong performances without getting much reward, but they can take out their frustrations on Southampton, who are at risk of a heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have been wasting a lot of chances, and their recent struggles in front of goal have led to criticism of their failure to sign an out-and-out centre-forward in January.
However, Graham Potter’s side looked a threat in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, who played with a low defensive block and were unlucky to be defeated in Dortmund despite winning the shots-on-target count eight to two.
Sooner or later, one of Chelsea’s opponents could take a severe beating, and that could happen to Southampton, who have been playing like relegation certainties.
Saints were beaten 3-0 at Brentford on their last road trip and followed up with a 2-1 loss at home to Wolves, who trailed 1-0 when midfielder Mario Lemina was dismissed in the 27th minute.
The capitulation against ten-man Wolves signalled the end of Nathan Jones’s time in charge, and it seems unlikely that their fortunes will dramatically improve in the short term.
Saints are playing like a team resigned to their fate, and if they are not fully focused in the capital, they will soon be swept aside.
Back Chelsea to win – half-time/full-time @ 1/1.
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