Chelsea overcame Southampton with a six-goal thrashing to put a bad week behind them and return to winning ways.
Chelsea bounced back after losing 4-1 at home to Brentford in the Premier League and then losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in the Champions League, giving Thomas Tuchel hope that his team may rescue their Champions League tie in Spain next week.
Tuchel warned before the game that “things are upside down” after two poor results, but his team replied by hitting the crossbar three times and scored four goals in an incredible first half at St Mary’s Stadium.
Within the first seven minutes, Timo Werner hit the post and then headed against the bar before Marcos Alonso put the visitors ahead after Mason Mount’s assist.
Mount increased the advantage with a neat finish from outside the box, and Werner was denied by Fraser Forster’s excellent save as Southampton crumbled in front of their own fans.
After bursting through and finishing, Werner was soon celebrating his first Premier League goal in six months, before Kai Havertz made it 4-0 with a tap-in after Germany team-mate Werner hit the woodwork for the third time.
Southampton were blown away, and it took a fantastic one-handed save from Forster to prevent Mohammed Salisu from scoring an own goal before half-time.
However, the Saints conceded a fifth goal in the 49th minute, when Werner scored his second goal after N’Golo Kante was denied.
On an ugly afternoon for Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhuttl and his players, Mount made it six from close range.
