Chelsea smash sorry Southampton as Frank Lampard’s young side close in on Champions League places
Frank Lampard's young superstars continued to shine for Chelsea as they claimed a 4-1 win over Southampton on Sunday.
After sealing an impressive 2-1 win in the Champions League at Lille in midweek, the Blues showed absolutely no sign of a European hangover on the south coast.
Fresh off their call ups to the England side, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount struck in the first half to out the Blues in cruise control.
Danny Ings managed to squeeze the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga to get a consolation for the Saints, but that was as good as it got for Ralph Hasenhuttl's men.
Fit again N'Golo Kante saw his deflected effort spin past Angus Gunn in the home goal to make it 3-1 before the break, before Michy Batshuayi made an instant impact off the bench and made the result safe.
Southampton showed great intent from the first whistle with Nathan Redmond firing over inside 60 seconds before the hosts won two corners in quick succession.
Jorginho received a booking in the 12th minute for a foul on Shane Long, but the Blues soon got rid of their rustiness and began to dictate play.
Five minutes after that yellow card, they put the Saints under pressure and made the most of some terrible defending to take the lead.
Callum Hudson-Odoi produced a wonderful pass over the top and Abraham beat Angus Gunn to the ball, flicked over the Southampton goalkeeper and grabbed his ninth of the season by the finest of margins - with Maya Yoshida attempting to clear. However, referee Paul Tierney got the alert on his watch that the whole ball was over the line.
It was 2-0 in the 24th minute. Gunn's rushed clearance saw the ball eventually come for Willian, who exchanged passes with Jorginho before the Brazilian found Mount in the area, who curled in for his fourth of the term.
At this point Frank Lampard's team looked set to run riot - but questionable defending by the visitors gave this open encounter a third goal by the half-hour mark.
Yan Valery - recalled to the starting XI - dribbled past Fikayo Tomori too easily on the right and his cross was side-footed beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga by Ings, despite Kurt Zouma sliding in on the forward.
Hasenhuttl would have wanted this to be a turning point, but more slack play at the back saw them concede a third in the 40th minute.
Marcos Alonso picked out Kante and the Frenchman was given plenty of space and saw his 20-yard effort take a deflection off Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and leave Gunn with no chance.
Southampton almost pulled one back in first-half stoppage time, when Tomori gave the ball away again, this time to Ings in a dangerous position, but his effort - which had beaten Kepa -was wonderfully prevented from finding the net by Jorginho.
The message from both managers at the break had clearly been to tighten up at the back, with chances at a premium for 20 minutes after the interval.
James Ward-Prowse curled over from a free kick in a dangerous position, then Abraham's low effort was comfortable for Gunn.
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The Blues went through the gears again, though, but Hudson-Odoi and Willian saw efforts blocked before several substitutions were made.
Lampard handed Christian Pulisic his first league minutes since August 31 with 10 minutes remaining and he responded with a smart assist for fellow sub Batshuayi.
The Belgium international proceeded to drill through Gunn's legs in the 89th minute as Chelsea comfortably secured a fourth straight win.