Eden Hazard was again the main man for Chelsea as he scored one and set up one in a 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary's.
Hazard opened the scoring before Ross Barkley and Alvaro Morata sent Maurizio Sarri's side to the top of the Premier League table, and even though it was only a temporary move it shouwed they're still well in the title race.
Saints gave the visitors a rough ride at times and Danny Ings and Ryan Bertrand wasted superb chances to score while Kepa Arrizabalaga made a couple of outstanding saves to claim a clean sheet.
While Chelsea still have Hazard in this form, they'll still have a chance of keeping pace with Manchester City and Liverpool as the Balgian rifled in his ninth goal in 11 games this season to break the deadlock after half an hour.
The visitors dominated possession but both sides were similar in the chances they created, but Southampton just lacked the finishing quality to put the ball in the back of the net.
Barkley bundled home his first Chelsea goal when he got on the end of an Olivier Giroud volley from a set piece, and substitue Morata dinked home a stoppage time third from a Hazard through ball to seal the victory.
Southampton v Chelsea Opta stats
- Chelsea have won their last six Premier League games against Southampton, since losing 3-1 under Jose Mourinho in October 2015.
- This was the ninth home Premier League game since the start of last season that Southampton have failed to score in – only Huddersfield (12) have failed to score in more home Premier League games in that time.
- Eden Hazard has been involved in 11 goals in 15 appearances against Southampton for Chelsea in all competitions (6 goals, 5 assists).
- Ross Barkley became the first Englishman to score and assist in a Premier League game for Chelsea since Frank Lampard in December 2013.
- Since Mark Hughes’ first Premier League match in charge of Southampton in March, the Saints have lost nine Premier League games – only Newcastle have lost more (10).
- There were 31 passes in the build-up to Alvaro Morata’s 90th minute goal for Chelsea – the most before a goal in the Premier League this season.
- Chelsea’s Eden Hazard scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the first time since October 2016 – which was also at St. Mary’s against Southampton.
- In the last three seasons, Southampton have taken just seven points from their 26 Premier League games against ‘big six’ opposition (P26 W0 D7 L19).
