Chelsea’s rotated XI delivered a resounding 5-1 win over bottom-placed Southampton at St. Mary’s on Wednesday night.
Although coach Enzo Maresca has claimed the Blues are not in a title race, their current run of form proves otherwise.
Goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, and Jadon Sancho sealed an emphatic win for Maresca’s side.
Despite Chelsea’s dominance, Southampton briefly sparked hope when Joe Aribo canceled out Disasi’s opener after a brilliant assist by Kyle Walker-Peters.
However, their defensive issues soon resurfaced. Fourth-choice goalkeeper Joe Lumley’s misplaced pass gifted Madueke the chance to set up Nkunku for Chelsea’s second.
Madueke added a third with a stunning solo effort before Southampton’s night unraveled further.
Captain Jack Stephens was sent off for a needless pull on Marc Cucurella’s hair, leaving the Saints a man down. From there, Chelsea took full control.
Palmer capitalized on a rebound to net Chelsea’s fourth, and Sancho rounded off the rout with a thunderous strike late on, marking his first goal for the club.
