Southampton vs. Chelsea: Saints face tough task to end league losing streak

Tomorrow lunch Southampton face a Chelsea side who have enjoyed a really impressive start to their campaign under Maurizio Sarri.

The Saints meanwhile have struggled for consistent form this season, but come into the match against the Blues having won on penalties in midweek against Everton in the Carabao Cup.

That match was just their third win of the campaign however, with only one of those coming in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last month. As a result, Southampton are 16th after seven games – their blemishes are spared by the fact that Newcastle, Huddersfield and Cardiff have somehow started the season worse than Hughes’ side.

Nonetheless the game against the Blues will be one of the Saints’ toughest of the football calendar, with Sarri’s side having started the league season unbeaten – since their Community Shield defeat to Manchester City they haven’t lost in ten games in all competitions.

Southampton will be hoping it’ll be a case of damage limitation if they aren’t able to break Chelsea down – after this weekend they face Bournemouth and Newcastle and there’s a strong possibility of getting four points from those two fixtures if things go right.

Why Southampton will win

The Saints were totally overturned by Liverpool the last time they played a member of the big six, and their lack of threat going forward correlated with ineligibility of Danny Ings. The striker couldn’t face his parent club but is available for selection against the Blues, and will give the Saints a more dynamic and threatening attack.

Ings has four goals to his name already this campaign and has shown doubters exactly why Liverpool recruited him back in 2015. He’ll have a point to prove against one of the league’s heavy hitters and could have a good afternoon at St. Mary’s.

Furthermore, the aforementioned Carabao Cup win should hopefully propel the Saints into the game in high spirits – after their victory in the second round they won their resulting Premier League fixture so there’s reason to believe the same could just happen here.

Why Chelsea will win

As ever with the Blues, a new manager has injected a new lease of life into Chelsea’s players, after a previously poor 2018 under Antonio Conte. Sarri has his team playing a smooth passing game thanks to the additions of Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho in the middle of the park.

But up top the Blues have the league’s in-form player in Eden Hazard – the Belgian has six goals and two assists already in the PL, and has been firing on all cylinders in the cup too.

Even if he’s comfortably their best player, they do also have strength in numbers. Pedro has started the season well whilst Olivier Giroud absolutely loves a goal against Southampton – they’ll be comfortable favourites and a constant threat.

Predicted Line-ups

Southampton:

Goalkeeper: Alex McCarthy

Defence: Ryan Bertrand, Jannik Vestergaard, Jan Bednarek, Cedric Soares

Midfield: Matt Targett, Mario Lemina, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Nathan Redmond

Forwards: Danny Ings, Shane Long

Chelsea: 

Goalkeeper: Kepa

Defence: Marcos Alonso, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta

Midfield: N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic

Forwards: Eden Hazard, Alvaro Morata, Willian

Prediction

Southampton 2-3 Chelsea