Southampton v Chelsea player ratings
Chelsea moved up to second in the Premier League table after they cruised to a 5-1 victory against Southampton. Here’s how we rated the Blues players.
Filip Jorgensen: 7
Solid on his first Premier League start and looked comfortable with the ball at his feet. Made a smart save just before the hour mark to deny Mateus Fernandes from close range.
Malo Gusto: 8
Pushed into midfield for much of the match and occupied space to the right of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Linked up well with players in front of him and provided the assist for Jadon Sancho’s late strike.
Axel Disasi: 7
Marked his return to the side with an early goal, rising to head into the net from under the crossbar. Looked good defensively and was often in the right place at the right time to clear low crosses into the Chelsea box.
Tosin Adarabioyo: 7
Found his feet quickly enough after Chelsea conceded inside 15 minutes and also hit the post with a half-volley in the second half.
Marc Cucurella: 7
Defensively solid once again and was a pest in both boxes, especially during corners. Involved in a flashpoint when Southampton captain Jack Stephens was sent off for violent conduct after pulling his hair in the first half.
Moises Caicedo: 8
A rock in midfield for Chelsea again. Had enough space to show off an impressive range of passing once Southampton were playing with 10 men.
Enzo Fernandez: 7
Whipped in the corner for Chelsea’s opening goal. Should have been stronger inside his own box when he challenged Kyle Walker-Peters, who beat the Argentine and cut back for Joe Aribo’s equaliser.
Noni Madueke: 9
Unselfishly set up Chelsea’s second after he picked the pocket of a Southampton defender and played in Christopher Nkunku. Added the third with a smart finish that found the far corner of Joe Lumley’s net. Forced two more big saves from the Saints goalkeeper in the second half.
Cole Palmer: 8
Involved in wave after wave of Chelsea attacks and scored an inevitable goal with 15 minutes to go when he tapped into an empty net.
Joao Felix: 7
Unlucky not to score and came close on a couple of occasions. Linked up well with Palmer at times and justified boss Enzo Maresca’s decision to start the pair together in the Premier League.
Christopher Nkunku: 8
Finished calmly from the edge of the box after being played in by Madueke as Southampton gifted Chelsea their second goal. Faded a little after half-time, but did all the hard work that led to Palmer’s late tap-in.
Jadon Sancho: 8
Made an impression on the right flank after coming on and smashed in his first Chelsea goal by beating Lumley at his near post.
