Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four with a straightforward 4-0 win against Southampton at Stamford Bridge that edged the visitors a step nearer to relegation.
Around 200 home supporters gathered outside the ground with banners and smoke flares ahead of kick-off to voice opposition to the club’s ownership but tensions were eased, temporarily perhaps, as Enzo Maresca’s team scored three in the first half to win for only the third time in 11 in the league.
Christopher Nkunku netted his 14th of the season in all competitions, Pedro Neto scored a rare but needed goal in his personal quest for confidence and Levi Colwill headed a third. Marc Cucurella’s finish from Tyrique George’s cutback completed the rout.
Marc Cucurella rounds off the scoring for Chelsea (John Walton/PA)
If there was a negative it was that Cole Palmer failed to end what is now a seven-game run without a goal and in doing so missed a glut of presentable chances.
Southampton had made the brighter start. Paul Onuachu seemed surprised to find himself in space inside Chelsea’s box after 15 minutes, lumping his snap attempt forcefully over the angle of post and crossbar.
Home supporters were audibly frustrated by their team’s start. On multiple occasions, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen kept the ball at his feet with virtually no options ahead of him as fans implored movement and greater initiative against the league’s bottom side.
Two lovely, direct passes finally broke Southampton’s lines, the first drilled upfield by Tosin Adarabioyo, the second a finessed, intelligent ball by Enzo Fernandez that released Palmer who fired uncharacteristically wide.
Palmer was again the beneficiary of Fernandez’s vision minutes later, but this time Aaron Ramsdale was out to meet him and smother the shot behind.
Cole Palmer was unable to end his goal drought (John Walton/PA)
From the corner Chelsea made their breakthrough. Tosin rose to redirect Palmer’s cross to the back post where Nkunku had manoeuvred goal-side of Will Smallbone to stoop and bundle the ball home.
Onuachu then summoned an outrageous leap to head goalwards and bring an athletic two-handed save out of Jorgensen.
There was plenty to make home fans nervous. Chelsea had lost 13 points from winning positions since Boxing Day, in part due to wastefulness in front of goal. Palmer ought to have doubled the lead when for the third time Fernandez set him free down the right-hand channel, but again the team’s leading scorer was off target with a shot across goal.
Moments later, Neto reminded him how it was done. Cucurella won the ball in midfield, his pass found Nkunku who held things up and fed the overlapping winger who put everything through it to beat Ramsdale with sheer power at his near post.
Pedro Neto, right, celebrates after scoring Chelsea’s second (John Walton/PA)
When Colwill flung himself bravely between two defenders to head in Neto’s free-kick and make it 3-0 before half-time, the fight was gone from Southampton – as appears increasingly the case in their doomed fight against the drop.
Palmer gave a wry smile after blowing yet another chance to end his drought in the second half, ballooning over the bar unmarked from eight yards.
Cucurella made it look far easier when he placed Chelsea’s fourth beyond Ramsdale in the 78th minute.