AS IT HAPPENED - Dominant Chelsea held by Southampton at St Mary's

FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Tuchel looks fuming as his team trudge off. They will not be looking forward to Monday morning training (he may even call them in tomorrow - he looks livid).

FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Half-chances at either end, but both are comfortably dealt with before the referee peeps for the last time at St Mary's. Southampton certainly the happier side with a share of the points. A true backs-to-the-wall performance at times, but well worth their draw.  

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Injury time is upon us. Can Southampton hold on to take points of Tuchel's side and dent their top-four challenge? 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Tuchel is slapping the seats in frustration in his dug-out after Mount does all the hard work before feeding the ball to Reece James, who wastefully blasts over. He laughs but he may have to answer to Big Tommy the boss later for sclaffing that sitter. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Djenepo seems to be a target for a lot of hefty Chelsea challenges as Alonso goes into the book for a late tacke then the Mali man is clobbered by Jorginho and need treatment after landing awkwardly on his arm. Poor lad on the end of a Chelsea rotation tactic. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Still 15 mis to go here, plus stoppages, and the tempo has certainly increased. I reckon we will find a winner.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

All of a sudden Southampton wake up with a flurry of chances. First they scare the Chelsea defence to force a corner, Ward-Prowse's delivery is taken by Mendy before a looping effort from Vestergaard comes back of the bar. What a great - and rare - chance that was for Saints.
Then - at the other end - McCarthy makes another great stop, but the offside flag is up on Hudson-Odoi.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

It gets a wee bit scrappy now. A bit of desperation from both sides creeping in. A seated Tuchel tells his side to calm down.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

The visitors have their tails up now. Mount is again impeded right on the edge of the area, but Alonso fires the ball straight into the wall.

GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 1

Mount is tumbled in the box as he tangles with Ings - what is he doing there? - and the Chelsea man picks himself up to send McCarthy the wrong way from the penaly spot to level things up. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Another great five-man passing move is denied by the Saints defence before we get some drama! 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Chelsea roar out of the blocks again - rocket from Tuchel received -  but still no end product in sight as Bednarek cuts out a move before Werner is frustrated twice.

KICK-OFF: SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Tammy Abraham off with his ankle packed in ice. Callum Hudson-Odoi - not a bad replacement - comes on, but now all the pressure is on Werner, who moves up front. He has hardly been prolific since his signing and is lucky to be on the field.
Chelsea fan Shammy messages in to say: "We have three at the back and two defensive midfielders and all it took was a simple pass through the middle to break us up. It does not guarantee stability at the back against a decent side and it restricts us moving forward in the final third with a lack of attacking options."

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

During the melee after the goal, Djenepo was thumped by Kante after Werner also caught the same man on the thigh with his studs. Both went to VAR Stuart Attwell and neither was even a yellow. That is strange as both could have been red in another match.

Timo Werner and N'Golo Kante

HALF-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Well, didn't see that coming, given Chelsea's dominance. This will be a test of character for the visitors, and a chance to see their reaction after an interval rocket from Tuchel in the dressing room. He does not like to lose. 

SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Chelsea romp back up the other end after the kick-off and Rudiger forces McCarthy into another save. Remember Southampton have dropped 16 points from winning positions this season. 

GOAL! SOUTHAMPTON 1 CHELSEA 0

Now thats a wee cat in the pigeons. Minamino breaks, shimmies into the area and slots past Chelsea keeper Mendy. That is the epitome of against the run of play. 

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

Rudiger finally makes McCarthy save, but the attempt is straight at the keeper. Uh-oh...

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

No shots on target so far, but Alonso tumbles in the box and screams for a penalty after a tussle with Vestergaard. VAR has a look but nothing doing. What ever happened to yellows for simulation? 

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

I won't say 'weathered' but Southampton seem to have settled a bit and are growing in confidence, having kept Chelsea at bay so far.

Kante is thriving in the Chelsea midfield, surging ahead whenever he can. He looks hungry and the Blues look in the mood. His latest break comes to no avail as McCarthy easily claims in the Southampton goal.

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

The home side are hoping to weather this early onslaught as Tammy Abraham presses and Chelsea dominate possession. Try as they might, Southampton cannot get clear to feed Danny Ings.

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

Ominous beginnings for Saints as Chelsea get on the ball straight away and ping it around like Man City or PSG. Werner befuddles the midfield before Reece James pings it over the top to Marcos Alonso but his effort is just wide. 

SOUTHAMPTON 0 CHELSEA 0

We are off in today's first match at St Mary's. Can Chelsea keep up their surge since sacking Frank Lampard?

TODAY'S ACTION

A biggie this evening in the shape of Liverpool v Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Southampton v Chelsea,. 4.30pm
Burnley v West Bromwich Albion, 7pm
Liverpool v Everton, 9.30pm
Fulham v Sheffield United, midnight

SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA

Team news
Southampton: McCarthy, Salisu, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Djenepo, Bertrang, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Minamino, Ings, Redmond.
Chelsea: Mendy, James, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rudiger, Alonso, Kante, Kovacic, Mount, Werner, Abraham.
As mentioned, City may be running away with it, but it is all to play for in the top-four race. "The title looks done and dusted," says Craig Leader, manager of Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. "But the way Chelsea are playing, they could easily close down United and Leicester if they can keep up their run under Tuchel. There are only six poijnts between sixth and second spot and Chelsea have the form."

​SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA

​​​​​​Southampton have been struggling of late, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men slumping to six straight losses in the league. However, they do have Danny Ings back to full fitness and all eyes will be how he goes at the Chelsea defence today.
For the Blues, it is an opposite story, with five straight wins. While Man City are miles ahead, Thomas Tuchel and his side could close the gap on Mancheser United and Leicester above them in the standings.

SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA

Good afternoon and welcome to today’s live Premier League coverage. We will be taking a look at the intriguing clash between Southampton and Chelsea at St Mary’s — the first of four games this Saturday.