Prediction: Chelsea vs Southampton

Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5

Best odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Betfair

Two out-of-form sides aiming to halt their downward trajectories meet on Tuesday evening, as Chelsea host relegation-bound Southampton at Stamford Bridge in a bid to restore some Premier League stability.

Enzo Maresca’s men are reeling from a third consecutive defeat across all competitions, having fallen 2-1 to Aston Villa, while their visitors offered little resistance in a heavy 4-0 thrashing by Brighton and Hove Albion.

Chelsea

Right now, Chelsea’s transfer chiefs should be busy drawing up a shortlist of goalkeeping targets for the summer window. With the error-prone Robert Sanchez already dropped in favor of Filip Jorgensen, it was the Scandinavian’s turn to commit a costly mistake at Villa Park.

A tap-in from Enzo Fernandez and a scrappy Marco Asensio goal seemed to set the stage for a share of the points in the West Midlands. However, with just a minute of normal time remaining, Asensio connected with a volley that should have been a routine save for Jorgensen.

Instead, the 22-year-old inexplicably let the ball slip through his body, triggering wild celebrations from the Villa Park crowd and condemning Chelsea to their third consecutive defeat across all competitions, one that further dents their top-four aspirations in the Premier League.

Maresca could take some solace in his team’s response following their 3-0 thrashing by Brighton on February 14, but he described Saturday’s loss as the “toughest” of his Chelsea tenure so far. Their away struggles persist, having now gone seven road games without a win, including four straight defeats.

However, Tuesday’s hosts can take comfort from their strong home form, having won three of their last four at Stamford Bridge—scoring at least twice in each victory. Fulham’s shock Boxing Day triumph remains their only defeat in their last 18 home matches.

Team News

Chelsea’s woes deepened on Saturday night when Trevoh Chalobah was forced off just eight minutes into the game with a back issue. However, Maresca’s post-match update was more reassuring than concerning.

Even so, with a quick turnaround before Tuesday’s fixture, Chalobah is expected to join the growing list of absentees, which includes thigh injury victims Omari Kellyman, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia, and Marc Guiu, along with the suspended Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Tosin Adarabioyo is likely to step in for Chalobah, fending off competition from Josh Acheampong, while Reece James—who completed the full 90 minutes on Saturday—could be rested if Maresca deems two starts in four days too demanding for his injury-prone captain.

Naturally, the Italian was pressed on whether Jorgensen would retain his spot in goal following his costly error at Villa Park, but unsurprisingly, he gave no definitive assurances either way.

Southampton

Despite Chelsea’s recent struggles, their fans should not expect any sympathy from Southampton supporters, whose team remains on course to potentially set a new record for the lowest-ever Premier League points tally before their seemingly inevitable relegation.

The league’s bottom side joined an unfortunate group on Saturday, as goals from Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma, Jack Hinshelwood, and Georginio Rutter condemned them to a 4-0 thrashing by Brighton—marking their eighth consecutive home defeat in the Premier League.

Only three other teams have endured such a dreadful losing streak in a single season, and with just nine points to their name, Southampton need at least three draws or one win to surpass Derby County’s infamous 11-point total from the 2007-08 campaign. With just 12 games remaining, they remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.

A break from the South Coast could offer some relief for Juric’s men, as their only victory in the last 16 Premier League matches came away to Ipswich Town. They can also take some encouragement from their recent away scoring form, having found the net in each of their last four road fixtures.

Additionally, Southampton’s previous trip to Stamford Bridge in February 2023 resulted in a memorable 1-0 win. However, without James Ward-Prowse and his trademark free kicks, they suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat to Maresca’s men in December’s meeting at St Mary’s.

Team News

Maresca and Juric share similar frustrations when it comes to fresh defensive setbacks, as Jan Bednarek was also forced off early during Southampton’s defeat to Brighton and is now a doubt for Tuesday’s clash, having been sent for a scan.

Bednarek’s potential absence could pose an even greater challenge if Taylor Harwood-Bellis (ankle) fails to recover in time for the trip to London. Meanwhile, Juric opted not to risk Jack Stephens on Saturday as he continues his return from injury.

Ross Stewart (calf), Ryan Fraser (calf), and Adam Lallana (thigh) all remain sidelined, while on-loan Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu is ineligible to face his parent club.

Conclusion

Even with a fully fit defense, Southampton are frequently exposed with alarming ease, and their injury-hit backline only increases the risk for the league’s bottom side.

Chelsea may struggle away from home, but they remain a reliable attacking force at Stamford Bridge and should overcome their offensive absences to cruise to a comfortable victory over Juric’s men.

Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5

Best odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Betfair