Chelsea secured a crucial 4-0 victory over Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, moving up to fourth place in the Premier League. The dominant performance ended a run of three straight defeats for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring, followed by a goal from Pedro Neto, while Levi Colwill added a third just before halftime. Marc Cucurella sealed the win with Chelsea’s fourth goal, making it their biggest league victory since their 5-1 triumph over Southampton in December.
Before the match, tensions were high among Chelsea fans, with over a hundred supporters protesting outside Stamford Bridge against the club’s ownership. Chants of “we want our Chelsea back” and references to former owner Roman Abramovich were heard as frustration over the team’s recent struggles grew.
Despite the pressure, Maresca remained confident in his squad. He had faced increasing scrutiny after Chelsea’s poor performances against Aston Villa, Brighton, and a recent FA Cup exit. However, his team responded with a commanding display against a struggling Southampton side.
Chelsea now have renewed hope of securing a Champions League spot, though Manchester City and Newcastle could move back ahead of them depending on their midweek results. Meanwhile, Southampton remain at the bottom of the table with just nine points from 27 matches. Their defensive woes continued, having conceded 11 goals in their last three league games.
Southampton manager Ivan Juric had recently described their season as a “disaster,” and this latest defeat only added to their troubles. The club’s return to the Premier League has been far from successful, and another relegation battle seems inevitable.
Maresca stuck with goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen despite his costly mistake against Aston Villa last weekend. Southampton had an early chance when Paul Onuachu fired over the bar, but Chelsea soon took control.
Cole Palmer came close to scoring, only to be denied by Southampton’s keeper Aaron Ramsdale. However, Chelsea found their breakthrough in the 24th minute when Tosin Adarabioyo headed a corner towards Nkunku, who bravely nodded the ball into the net despite colliding with Ramsdale. The French forward celebrated his 14th goal of the season with his signature blue balloon gesture.
Jorgensen then made an important save to deny Onuachu’s header before Chelsea doubled their lead in the 36th minute. Nkunku set up Neto, who fired a clinical shot past Ramsdale.
In the 44th minute, Neto turned provider, delivering a perfect free-kick that allowed Colwill to head home Chelsea’s third goal. Southampton’s defense failed to react, leaving their goalkeeper helpless.
The second half lacked much drama, with Chelsea comfortably in control. Palmer, the team’s top scorer, was unable to end his seven-game goal drought, missing a clear chance. However, Cucurella ensured Chelsea’s dominance was fully reflected on the scoreboard, slotting home a fourth goal in the 78th minute after a pass from Tyrique George.
