Chelsea 4-2 Southampton: Match report & reaction

Match Report

Diego Costa ended his lean streak with a double as Premier League leaders Chelsea beat Southampton 4-2 to restore their seven-point advantage over Tottenham.

Cesc Fabregas, Costa and Eden Hazard were substitutes in last Saturday's FA Cup semi-final win over Spurs, largely because of the proximity of this fixture.

And all three were instrumental as Antonio Conte's side moved within 12 points of the title with five games remaining.

Hazard scored Chelsea's first following a Fabregas through-ball and Costa lay-off.

Gary Cahill, back after gastroenteritis, headed in Chelsea's second to give the hosts a half-time lead after ex-Blues midfielder Oriel Romeu netted for Saints.

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And Costa notched his 50th Premier League goal from a Fabregas pass to end a seven-match scoreless run early in the second half and added a late fourth before Ryan Bertrand's late consolation.

Chelsea's prospects of a double in Conte's first season as head coach remain alive.

Tottenham play their game in hand on Wednesday at Crystal Palace and have the more challenging run-in on paper.

Chelsea play Arsenal in the FA Cup final on May 27 and will hope to have wrapped up the league by then, with Sunday's trip to Everton the most difficult proposition in their final five games.

The Blues had lost two of their previous four league games - to Palace and at Manchester United - but shook off the wobble at Wembley.

Yet there were more anxious moments to come against Saints, whose pace and ingenuity troubled the Blues.

This was Chelsea's first home game since it was announced that John Terry would be leaving in the summer following 22 years of service.

The club captain came off the substitutes' bench for his 714th appearance and first in the league since November.

Terry, who has won 14 major trophies at Chelsea, could finish the season lifting more silverware.

Southampton were playing for the first time in 10 days, since a 3-0 home loss to Manchester City, and Conte had complained about Chelsea's schedule.

His decision to start Hazard, Costa and Fabregas on the bench against Spurs was vindicated, as was the call to restore the trio - and Cahill - to the starting line-up here.

Five minutes in, Fabregas' long ball found Costa, who delayed and laid the ball off for Hazard to shoot first time across Fraser Forster. It was the Belgium playmaker's 15th Premier League goal of the season.

The trio combined again soon afterwards and Hazard curled over.

Chelsea's lead lasted just 20 minutes as they conceded for an 11th straight league game.

Manolo Gabbiadini turned a corner back into the six-yard box and Romeu tapped in.

The midfielder, back from suspension, was prior to the match compared by Saints boss Claude Puel to N'Golo Kante.

Kante, the newly crowned Professional Footballers' Association player of the year, soon showed his brilliance.

He weaved by three Saints players - including Romeu - in the right channel, but his cross towards Costa was intercepted.

Chelsea took a half-time lead when Saints failed to clear. Kante returned the ball towards Marcos Alonso who headed back across goal and Cahill rose above Costa's acrobatics to head in.

Costa left the field at half-time squabbling like schoolboys with Jack Stephens, but soon had the goal he was so desperate to claim.

Hazard drove at Saints down the right before passing to Fabregas.

And Costa held off Bertrand to head in Fabregas' pin-point cross, claiming his half-century of Premier League goals in 85 appearances.

Southampton would not roll over and Conte repeatedly urged his defenders to stay focused.

Forster spread himself to deny Kante on the counter before Conte called on Terry for the final four minutes for his first appearance since the FA Cup win at Wolves in February.

Terry was roundly cheered and there was further delight for home fans when Costa exchanged passes with Hazard, then Pedro, before driving the ball in.

There was still time for Chelsea to concede a second as Cedric Soares' cross was headed in by ex-Blues man Bertrand.

Match Reaction

Antonio Conte on going seven points clear of Tottenham: "We passed a big step, a big psychological step after the defeat against United. Against United we lost three points and then we had to prepare a semi-final against Tottenham and then another tough game in the league.

"I think that in that moment we have had a really important test, psychological test. Our answer was very good. For this reason I must be pleased. But we must think that this race is open. We are ready to fight until the end."

On the pressure of getting the job done: "Everyone feels a bit of pressure. The players, the club, but also the fans, that want to try to win after this season that I think is incredible for us, above all after a bad season like last season.

"It's important to continue to stay together and to understand this moment and to be ready to push our team in the right way."

On Diego Costa: "For strikers it's very important to score. Goals are your life. I always said I'm very pleased with his commitment, his work for the team. I was always confident about him. Now he must continue."

Conte on kicking a medical bag in his technical area during the second half: "In this part of the season, we are totally involved in the game. In that moment I wanted to kick the ball and I took the bag as a ball, because sometimes I want to play.

"I know if I kick the ball then probably the referee sends me off."

On John Terry: "He knows my admiration for him. It will be a great loss next season to lose a player like this."

Southampton boss Claude Puel on his side's performance: "It's a shame that with the quality of this game we conceded four goals tonight. It was a better performance than against Manchester City. But we conceded the goals in bad moments, after five minutes, just before half-time, just after half-time... this made the difference.

"We played against a great team and against two great players tonight. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa played very well. They can be the difference."

Gary Cahill on Chelsea's title hopes: "It feels like a massive step, to be honest. It's the first time in a long time that we've played (before Tottenham) so we knew how important it was to get the win. We're delighted today, we played well and deserved the win."

On his second goal: "It was a great time to score the second goal because we went in at half-time with our tails up. It was a big boost for us and I'm sure it deflated them."

On the injury which ruled him out of the FA Cup semi-final: "I'm all right, just recovering, I'm fine. It's not too much about me, it's about the lads. I had a bit of gall bladder pain, so not ideal, but the lads didn't miss me at Wembley, put in a great performance there, and I'm just thankful to recover now and get back on the pitch."