Chelsea have a tricky game against Southampton tomorrow, and one which they need to ensure that they don’t lose. With Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all facing weak opposition this weekend, Antonio Conte must ensure he gets at least a point to stay in touch with their title rivals. A draw would be a perfectly respectable result against a side that has improved week after week under Claude Puel, but a win would really show the rest of the league that the Blues mean business.
The Blues looked sluggish in their EFL Cup loss against West Ham, and while there was some rotation in the side it didn’t excuse an overall poor performance. It was a very un-Conte like performance, at least until Eden Hazad and Diego Costa appeared in the second half. With both of them restored to the starting XI, Southampton should fear a highly motivated team looking to bounce back.