Chelsea restored their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after they beat Southampton 4-2 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.
Antonio Conte made four changes from the side that beat Tottenham at the weekend, with Gary Cahill returning to the starting line-up. The front three were also completely switched, with Eden Hazard and Diego Costa restored, and joined in attack by Cesc Fabregas.
Meanwhile, Claude Puel made two changes to his side that suffered a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City on 15 April, with Oriol Romeu returning from suspension and replacing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, while Sofiane Boufal got the nod ahead of Nathan Redmond.
The Blues got off to a bright start and took the lead as early as the fifth minute when Costa rolled the ball back to Hazard, who swept a fine finish across goal and into the bottom-left corner to make it 1-0.
However, the Saints then levelled matters after 24 minutes when Manolo Gabbiadini drilled the ball back into the middle to Romeu, who diverted the ball into the net from less than six yards out.
Southampton continued to pepper the Chelsea box with crosses, however they struggled to carve out any clear-cut opportunities in the final third.
Gary Cahil then doubled his side’s lead at the stroke of half-time as Marcos Alonso supplied the captain, whose headed effort found the back of the net, to make it 2-1.
The Blues took a 2-1 lead as the match went into the half-time interval at Stamford Bridge.
The home side came out guns blazing in the second-half and added a third when Fabregas picked out Costa with an enticing cross, before the striker powered his header home.
Dusan Tadic nearly pulled a goal back in the 57th minute after he did well to find space for a shot outside the area, before unleashing a curling his effort towards the opposite corner, but Thibaut Courtois got down well to push it around the post.
Nemanja Matic had a chance to extend Chelsea’s lead in the 74th minute after he made a run to the byline and fired his effort at goal, but his shot flew straight into the hands of Southampton shot-stopper Fraser Forster.
The Saints nearly found the back of the net in the 80th minute when a corner fell kindly for Steven Davis, who unleashed a strike from 20 yards out, but his effort was deflected wide by Cahill.
Kante had a chance to make it 4-1 after he was played through on goal by Hazard, before he attempted to dink a shot over the onrushing Forster, who got enough on the ball to deflect it behind for a corner.
The home side all but sealed the win in the 89th minute when Costa played a one-two with Pedro, taking a touch before firing home.
The Saints pulled a goal back in stoppage time as Cedric Soares whipped a cross into the box to find Bertrand, who headed the ball home from close-range.
Chelsea held on to their 4-2 lead against Southampton until the final whistle to claim all three points at Stamford Bridge and keep the pressure on second-placed Spurs, who face Crystal Place on Wednesday.
Image: Premier League website
