Chelsea vs Southampton Preview, Team News, Likely Line-ups & Predicted Score
Chelsea welcome Southampton to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night looking to close the gap on the top two.
The Blues currently sit third in the Premier League table but will move to within four points of second-placed Manchester City with a win tonight, and perhaps put themselves back in the title race.
Rafa Benitez side have won five of their last six league games and with the exception of the home defeat to QPR and the Capital One Cup loss to Swansea, the Blues have been at their free-scoring best in recent weeks.
Their defence has also been showing signs of improvement and Chelsea hold the joint best defensive record in the league along with champions City, so it’s going to be a tough ask for the Saints to take anything from the game tonight.
However, the south coast club are heading in the right direction after a four-game unbeaten run has seen them pull clear of the relegation zone by just two points.
Team News
Chelseawill be able to call upon the services of captain John Terry after the defender resumed full training after a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. It’s expected Terry will feature tonight to get some minutes under his belt ahead of Sunday’s clash with Arsenal, it will be up to Benitez to decide whether he starts or comes off the bench as he did at the weekend.
Strikers Demba Ba and Fernando Torres will compete for the striking berth up top but Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel are unavailable after heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.
Southampton are expected to be without defender Luke Shaw for the game after the left-back picked up a nasty cut to his leg during Saturday’s win over Aston Villa.
Jose Fonte has returned to training but tonight’s game will come too soon for him while captain Adam Lallana remains out.
Likely Line-ups
Predicted Score
Chelsea have a relatively poor home record under Rafa Benitez, winning just two of their six games at the Bridge and Southampton will also take heart from the fact that the Blues have come unstuck in their last two home games against QPR and Swansea. However, if the Chelsea players apply themselves there will only be one winner tonight. Chelsea 2-0 Southampton
What would your line-up be and what’s your score prediction? Get involved in the comments section below.
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adegboyega seun
January 16, 2013 at 4:12 pm
pls roman get willian 4 us we need him.
rufai nurudeen
January 16, 2013 at 4:17 pm
pls Roman get us falcao
Ola love
January 16, 2013 at 4:18 pm
I expect chelsea to play very well tonight and win d game but Ba should be started.
mcnumec
January 16, 2013 at 4:19 pm
I would go with this line up
Cech
Azpilicueta Cahil Ivanovic Cole
Ramires Liuz
Marin Mata Hazard
Ba
Scoreline= Che 4-0 Sutton
olawale
January 16, 2013 at 4:30 pm
Pls use ba
OMONIYI EBENEZER
January 16, 2013 at 4:38 pm
BA MUST START 2NIGHT MATCH, IF CHELSEA WANNA WIN.
Mafia
January 16, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Pls u hv use BA 2nite pls cus if don’t do so possibilty dat blue would lost dis march so pls.
Adebayo adubi
January 16, 2013 at 4:56 pm
I hope he will stert with ba tonigt
ishaq
January 16, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Marin,ba,hazard,mata,ramirz,oscar,…iva,terry,luiz,cole,cech shuld start
Emmanuel ositadimma
January 16, 2013 at 4:57 pm
I will go on cech.. Azpicuelta.. Ivanovic.. Cahil.. Cole.. Luiz.. Ramires.. Hazard.. Oscar.. Mata.. Ba
Azeez adeola
January 16, 2013 at 5:00 pm
Demba ba is d right man 2 start
emmanuel
January 16, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Wel 4 me ivanovic,terry,cahil,cole,lampard luiz, ramires,mata,hazard nd ba
Prince
January 16, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Get mr Ba in d starting line. Let go 4 3 points. One chelsea.
Akin
January 16, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Ba should start
Stokes1976
January 16, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Lambert to terrorise Terry, Saints to win 3-1!
Damsey
January 16, 2013 at 5:26 pm
I wil prefer dis line up ivanovic, luiz, cahil, cole, ramirez, lampard, mata, hazard, oscar, ba. Roman, pls get me willians
Korlladey depzzy
January 16, 2013 at 5:28 pm
Torres shud start scoreline=4*1, Ba shud start against Arsenal
OJO SUNDAY
January 16, 2013 at 5:29 pm
Cech,cole,terry,azcup,chail,luizs,ramires,hazard,oscar,mata,ba
Jassey
January 16, 2013 at 5:41 pm
We dnt nid falcao.i tink if we hv fillani,isco nd schurlle we dnt hv problm morva Ba shld strt 2day
Victor mbama izuwah
January 16, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Ba should start,bt if we start win like 3 0,our 50 milion ‘flop’ cn b introducd,xo dt ba cn b fit 4 arsenal…
Harrison
January 16, 2013 at 6:18 pm
Pls i need ba 2 start
Den
January 16, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Ba ba ba
Ibeto michael
January 16, 2013 at 6:31 pm
If benitez is wise let him use every means available to him and win this match.let him not rest any important players o o o.Chelsea 3 Saint 1
Isaiah kablenu
January 16, 2013 at 6:32 pm
I tnk ba shud be among d line up so to fit agst arsenak
jasman
January 16, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Come’on give Torres some moral support…he will better to play with Ba!!!
Mathieu
January 16, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Pls I need Torres τ̅☺ start he is indeed D̶̲̥̅̊ best striker in england weda ̶̴̳̐̿̾̈́͠Ɛ̤̥̝̈̊̊ like it or not
Mike
January 16, 2013 at 6:48 pm
Play BA or u get sack
wilfredewah
January 16, 2013 at 7:55 pm
Ba o… Ba o…. Ba o…