toptop
Chelsea
won back-to-back Premier League games for the first time this season after
coming from behind to win 2-1 at Southampton.
Shane Long put Saints ahead late in the first half with a composed finish after
Fraser Forster had broken a club record for the longest time without conceding.
But Saints' resistance was broken in the 75th minute when Cesc Fabregas' cross
beat Forster.
Branislav Ivanovic then headed in a late winner from a corner as Chelsea
extended their unbeaten league run under Guus Hiddink to 10 matches and moved up
to 11th in the table.
Southampton, who not conceded a goal in over nine hours prior to kick-off,
remain seventh but missed the chance to strengthen their place in the European
positions.
Ronald Koeman handed January signing Charlie Austin his first start in place of
Graziano Pelle while Chelsea stuck with the same team that thrashed Manchester
City in the FA Cup.
The visitors were forced into an early change, though, as Pedro suffered an
injury and had to be replaced by Oscar.
That was perhaps the most notable moment of the opening half-an-hour with
chances few and far between.
Long headed over the bar from Virgil van Dijk's cross and Oscar shot at Forster
at the other end.
Forster earned applause in the 34th minute as he broke the club record for the
longest time without conceding a goal, which was previously held by Paul Jones
with 666 minutes.
There was more cause for celebration after 42 minutes as the hosts took the
lead.
Baba Rahman tried to cushion a header to a team-mate but Long anticipated it,
nicked the ball and then raced clear before coolly chipping Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea had not come from behind to win a game in the Premier League this season
but they improved after the break.
Still, it looked it might not be their day after Jon Obi Mikel headed wide from
six yards out and Diego Costa missed the target with a volley from Eden Hazard's
cross.
Chelsea's frustration continued to mount as Costa was booked for clipping Van
Dijk's heels and Saints defended resolutely.
However, the visitors eventually got the breakthrough after 75 minutes when
Fabregas crossed from the left and Forster, thinking Hazard was going to make
contact, didn't move as the ball drifted into the net.
The visitors pressed on for the winner and were rewarded late on as Ivanovic
rose highest for a corner and headed past Forster, who got a strong hand to it
but couldn't keep it out.
Player ratings
Southampton: Forster (5), Cedric (5), van Dijk (6), Fonte (6),
Targett (6), Bertrand (5), Romeu (6), Clasie (6), Steven Davis (5), Austin (5),
Long (7).
Subs: Mane (5), Ward-Prowse (5), Pelle (5).
Chelsea: Courtois (6), Azpilicueta (6), Cahill (6), Ivanovic
(7), Baba (5), Mikel (6), Fabregas (7), Willian (7), Hazard (6), Pedro (4),
Costa (5).
Subs: Oscar (5), Kenedy (6), Matic (5).
Man of the match: Branislav Ivanovic.
Teams
Southampton Forster, Soares, van Dijk, Fonte, Targett
(Ward-Prowse 89), Bertrand, Romeu, Clasie, Davis, Austin (Mane 79), Long (Pelle
69)
Subs Not Used Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadic, Martina
Booked Davis, Bertrand, Clasie
Goals Long 42
Chelsea Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic (c), Baba
(Kenedy 45), Fabregas, Mikel, Pedro (Oscar 7), Willian, Hazard (Matic 90+3),
Costa
Subs Not Used Begovic, Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Remy
Booked Costa
Goals Fabregas 75, Ivanovic 89
Attendance 31,688
Referee Martin Atkinson