Adam Armstrong sinks Chelsea as Southampton come from goal down to win at St Mary’s in stunning victory

Southampton put in a stunning performance to come from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1.

Chelsea started the better side, Raheem Sterling scored his third goal in two games to put the West Londoners ahead.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men responded swiftly, just two minutes after going behind they equalised when Romeo Lavia fired in a long shot from the edge of the box after a corner was not cleared well by Cesar Azpilicueta.

They then went ahead when Romain Perraud’s low cross was controlled and finished by Adam Armstrong on the stroke of half-time.

In the second half, Southampton continued to be the better side and looked more likely to score throughout as Mohammed Salisu had one effort cleared off the line by Thiago Silva.

The Saints’ second win of the season gives them seven points from five games, level with Chelsea

TALKING POINT – CHELSEA STRUGGLE

Thomas Tuchel has big problems to solve. His team lacked cohesion tonight and played like a team who didn’t know each other. Things started so positively for Chelsea, their attack was flowing and creating chances for fun but the Saints turned on the intensity and had more desire than the visitors.

Chelsea are splashing the cash following the takeover of the club by Todd Boehly but at the moment it seems unclear as to what Tuchel wants to build. He does not know his best side and not even his best formation. The manager started using a back four but switched to a five with 25 minutes to go in seemingly a desperate attempt to get something from his players.

Wesley Fofana is set to join the club and he is needed; they look defensively frail as Southampton’s intensity and willing runners proved too much for them. This isn’t the Chelsea side Tuchel formed where they rarely conceded goals and he is aware of this suggesting in his post-match interview that they are too easy to play against.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – CHE ADAMS

Che Adams may not have got on the scoresheet tonight but he was exceptional throughout. He led the line superbly with his non-stop running and pressing. He held up the ball every time and he seemed to beat Kalidou Koulibaly in the air with every pass played up to him. Adams was a physical presence up top for Southampton and epitomised everything good about their performance tonight. Right until the end he worked hard tracking back to help seal the win.

PLAYER RATINGS

Southampton: Bazunu 6, Walker-Peters 7, Bella-Kotchap 8, Salisu 7, Perraud 8, Lavia 8, Diallo 6, Ward-Prowse 7, Elyounoussi 6, A.Armstrong 7, Adams 9.
Subs: Aribo 6, Djenepo 7, Lyanco 6.

Chelsea: Mendy 6, Azpilicueta 4, Silva 7, Koulibaly 6, Cucurella 6, Jorginho 5, Loftus-Cheek 5, Mount 6, Ziyech 6, Sterling 7, Havertz 5.
Subs: Kovacic 6, Pulisic 5, Broja 6, Chilwell 5.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

23’ – GOAL (STERLING) – Sterling makes it three goals in two games. It’s great interplay by the attackers as Havertz slides a ball into Mount, he rolls it across to Sterling. He is patient from close range – swivels, shoots and scores.

28’ – GOAL (LAVIA) – The equaliser. It’s from the 18-year-old, Lavia. It’s a bad corner from Ward-Prowse but Azpilicueta’s clearance has no distance and it falls to Lavia on the edge of the box who blasts it towards goal and Mendy cannot stop it. A great response from Hasenhuttl’s men.

45’ – GOAL (A.ARMSTRONG) – Ward-Prowse shifts it wide to Perraud on the overlap and the left-back crosses low towards the penalty box and Armstrong takes one touch and shoots, it takes a little deflection and goes beyond Mendy. Hasenhuttl celebrates madly.