Chelsea bounced back in style, reclaiming a spot in the Premier League’s top four with a commanding 4-0 victory over Southampton at Stamford Bridge.
After enduring three consecutive defeats across all competitions, Enzo Maresca’s side needed a response, and they delivered emphatically against Ivan Juric’s struggling Saints.
Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring in the 24th minute, nodding home from close range after Tosin Adarabioyo flicked on an Enzo Fernández corner.
The French forward then turned provider, setting up Pedro Neto for a powerful near-post strike to double Chelsea’s advantage.
Levi Colwill added a third just before the break, heading in from Neto’s deep free-kick. In the second half, Marc Cucurella put the finishing touches on the rout, firing into the bottom corner following a swift counterattack.
The victory sees Chelsea climb above Bournemouth, Newcastle United, and Manchester City into fourth place, though the latter two teams still have midweek fixtures.
Meanwhile, Southampton remain rooted to the bottom with just nine points from 27 matches.
Chelsea had an early warning shot in the 23rd minute when Fernández played Cole Palmer through on goal, only for the forward to see his effort smothered by Aaron Ramsdale.
Moments later, the hosts capitalized on their momentum, as Nkunku’s header broke the deadlock.
Palmer had another chance to get on the scoresheet but skewed his shot wide, before Neto made it 2-0 after being teed up by Nkunku.
Chelsea then effectively ended the contest in the 44th minute, with Colwill nodding home from a set piece.
Despite further chances for Nkunku and teenage substitute Tyrique George in the second half, Chelsea’s final goal arrived in the 78th minute. A rapid breakaway saw George square the ball for Cucurella, who finished clinically.
The victory comes at a crucial time for Maresca’s men, who had slipped to seventh in the table after their recent poor run.
Their FA Cup exit to Brighton only added to the pressure, while Palmer’s dip in form—going six games without a goal or assist—had left Chelsea struggling for inspiration.
The young playmaker had two big chances in the first half but failed to capitalize. However, Chelsea’s depth proved invaluable, with Nkunku and Neto stepping up to deliver both a goal and an assist each.
With a home clash against struggling Leicester City up next on March 9, Chelsea have the opportunity to build some much-needed momentum.
For Southampton, the defeat extends their losing streak to four games. Following a dismal 4-0 loss to Brighton, Juric made several changes to his side, including handing a start to Paul Onuachu.
The Nigerian forward had two promising opportunities, first firing over the bar before seeing a close-range header brilliantly kept out by Filip Jorgensen.
At 1-0 down, Southampton were still in the game, but a costly mistake from Flynn Downes—who gifted possession to Cucurella—led to Chelsea’s second goal.
When Cucurella later found the net, it was the result of another defensive lapse, with Chelsea launching a five-on-three counterattack after Southampton’s Jack Stephens had a shot blocked at the other end.
Now 13 points adrift of safety with only 33 left to play for, Southampton’s survival hopes look increasingly slim. They face an uphill battle in their next fixture—a daunting trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool.
