Saints suffer heaviest defeat of season

By SFC Media time Sat 09 Apr Saints vs Chelsea
Photo by Matt Watson
Sat 09 Apr 3PM
Premier League
Southampton
0
Chelsea
6
goal
Alonso [8'] Mount [16' 54'] Werner [22' 49'] Havertz [31']
Bednarek (60')
yellow card
Referee: Kevin Friend | Venue: St Mary's Stadium | Attendance: 31,359

Southampton suffered their heaviest defeat of the season, as they were beaten 6-0 by a rampant Chelsea at St Mary’s.

Goals from Marcos Alonso, Mason Mount, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz saw the visitors race into a huge first-half lead – which in truth could have been even greater than it was – and they added further to their tally after the break thanks to Werner and Mount again.

Ralph Hasenhüttl had made two changes for the game from the side that drew 1-1 at Leeds last time out, as Stuart Armstrong and Adam Armstrong both came into the line-up, with Ibrahima Diallo dropping to the bench and Armando Broja ineligible against his parent club.

20220409 Southampton v Chelsea
Stuart Armstrong was one of two changes to the Southampton team

Saints were up against a Chelsea team that arrived at St Mary’s having suffered chastening back-to-back home defeats against Brentford and Real Madrid in the previous week. But, if Thomas Tuchel’s side had been struggling prior to their arrival on the south coast, there was certainly no sign here of that form continuing.

By the midway point of the first half, the Blues were already 3-0 ahead, having also hit the woodwork twice.

They went close to scoring in only the third minute, when Werner hit the base of the post with a low strike across goal from 18 yards, and the Chelsea forward then put a header against the bar from close range soon after.

Saints’ good fortune did not last any longer, though.

The breakthrough came on eight minutes, as a Ruben Loftus-Cheek cross found Mount in the area, and he was able to control the ball before flicking it towards the back post, where an unmarked Alonso slammed home a low, left-footed strike.

Mount then went from provider to scorer in the 16th minute, as he controlled a loose ball 25 yards out and arrowed a crisp strike into the bottom corner to double the lead.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Fraser Forster of Southampton is beaten by the shot of Mason Mount of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Southampton and Chelsea at St Mary's Stadium on April 09, 2022 in Southampton, England (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Mason Mount's low shot from distance picks out the bottom corner

Werner could have made it three on 18 minutes, but continued his personal frustration in front of goal, as Fraser Forster made a brilliant save to deny him at close-range, after Alonso had got in behind and picked him out with a cutback.

But he didn’t have to wait much longer, as a loose header back towards defence from James Ward-Prowse went over the head of Jan Bednarek, allowing the German forward to race in behind, round Forster and slide home a third in the 21st minute.

Three became four just after the half-hour mark, as Mohammed Salisu lost the ball outside the corner of the area under pressure from Havertz and Werner, with the latter then dancing past a couple of defenders in the area and striking the post, only for the rebound to fall straight to Havertz, who side-footed into the open goal.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Southampton players dejected during the Premier League match between Southampton and Chelsea at St Mary's Stadium on April 09, 2022 in Southampton, England (Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Saints head back for kick-off, as Chelsea extend their lead further

Hasenhüttl made a change on 36 minutes, taking off Oriol Romeu and replacing him with Yan Valery, as Saints switched to three at the back.

The hosts did avoid any further damage before half-time, although Forster was required to make three more good stops, to deny Havertz, Mount and Loftus-Cheek.

Both teams made substitutions at the break, as Saints sent Diallo on for Adam Armstrong, while Christian Pulisic was introduced for Havertz.

There was no change in the flow of the game, though, and it took only four minutes after the restart for Chelsea to score their fifth. N’Golo Kanté was picked out running through the middle and although Forster saved his attempted chip from the edge of the area, the rebound fell straight to Werner to convert.

20220409 Southampton v Chelsea
Ralph Hasenhüttl was left frustrated on the touchline

Ché Adams could and should have grabbed a consolation for Saints moments after, but shot straight at Edouard Mendy from close range after Kyle Walker-Peters had picked him out, and Chelsea then went straight back up the other end to score another.

It came from a low Alonso cross, with Forster initially making two fine saves, first from Pulisic and then Werner, only for the rebound to again fall to a Chelsea player, as Mount tapped home number six.

On 73 minutes, Hasenhüttl made his third change, as Will Smallbone was introduced for Tino Livramento, and Saints were able to see out the closing stages at least without conceding any further goals.

Southampton

Head to Head Stats

Chelsea
  • Possession (%)
    29
    comparison angle
    71
  • Shots
    4
    comparison angle
    24
  • Shots on target
    1
    comparison angle
    14
  • Corners
    2
    comparison angle
    3
  • Passes Complete
    218
    comparison angle
    662

Southampton

44
Fraser Forster (GK)
21
Valentino Livramento
replace William Smallbone (73′)
2
Kyle Walker-Peters
35
Jan Bednarek yellow card
22
Mohammed Salisu
6
Oriol Romeu
replace Yan Valery (36′)
17
Stuart Armstrong
8
James Ward-Prowse (C)
24
Mohamed Elyounoussi
9
Adam Armstrong
replace Ibrahima Diallo (45′)
10
Che Adams
27
Ibrahima Diallo
11
Nathan Redmond
15
Romain Perraud
20
William Smallbone
23
Nathan Tella
13
Willy Caballero
43
Yan Valery
32
Theo Walcott
5
Jack Stephens

Chelsea

16
Édouard Mendy (GK)
2
Antonio Rüdiger
6
Thiago Silva
replace Reece James (63′)
4
Andreas Christensen
3
Marcos Alonso goal
8
Mateo Kovacic
7
N'Golo Kanté (C)
12
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
19
Mason Mount goal goal
replace Hakim Ziyech (69′)
11
Timo Werner goal goal
29
Kai Havertz goal
replace Christian Pulisic (45′)
10
Christian Pulisic
18
Ross Barkley
17
Saúl Ñíguez
1
Kepa Arrizabalaga
5
Jorginho
14
Trevoh Chalobah
31
Malang Sarr
22
Hakim Ziyech
24
Reece James
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