Chelsea and Southampton, both struggling for form, face off at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as they seek to turn their seasons around. Chelsea are reeling from a third consecutive defeat, while Southampton continue their battle to avoid an almost inevitable drop to the Championship.
Chelsea’s Quest to End Losing Streak
Enzo Maresca’s side suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in their last outing, extending their losing run across all competitions to three games. A late goalkeeping error from Filip Jorgensen sealed their fate, highlighting ongoing concerns in the Blues’ defensive setup.
Despite their poor away form—going winless in their last seven Premier League road games—Chelsea have been more reliable at Stamford Bridge. They have won three of their last four home matches, scoring at least twice in each, and will look to capitalize on their strong record in familiar surroundings.
Southampton’s Struggles Continue
Southampton’s 4-0 humiliation against Brighton marked their eighth straight home defeat in the Premier League, putting them on the brink of an unwanted record. With just nine points from 26 games, they remain at the foot of the table and are on course for one of the worst points tallies in Premier League history unless they can stage an improbable turnaround.
Away from home, however, the Saints have found the net in four consecutive matches, and their only league win in 16 games came on the road against Ipswich Town. They will take encouragement from last season’s 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, though their last meeting with Chelsea ended in a crushing 5-1 defeat.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Chelsea will be without Trevoh Chalobah, who picked up a back injury against Villa, while a host of other players, including Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Nicolas Jackson, and Romeo Lavia, remain sidelined. Mykhaylo Mudryk is also unavailable due to suspension. Despite his costly mistake last weekend, Jorgensen is expected to retain his spot in goal.
For Southampton, Jan Bednarek is out with muscle fatigue, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis remains doubtful. Jack Stephens could return, but the Saints will also be without Lesley Ugochukwu, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Chelsea possible XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Dewsbury-Hall, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Sancho; Neto.
Southampton possible XI: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bella-Kotchap, Bree; Sugawara, Gronbaek, Downes, Walker-Peters; Fernandes; Onuachu, Sulemana.
