Chelsea responded in perfect fashion after back-to-back defeats by thrashing Southampton 6-0 following braces from Mason Mount and Timo Werner.

The Blues had been beaten 4-1 at home by Brentford in their last Premier League outing before losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.

But any concerns over their form were put to bed with a ruthless display at St Mary's from the moment Marcos Alonso gave them an eighth-minute lead.

Chelsea were 3-0 up after just 21 minutes and were six in front within an hour as Southampton wilted in the sunshine although at least avoided another 9-0 drubbing.

Mount set up Alonso with a brilliant flick for the opener before the England midfielder struck a sweet effort from the edge of the area which found the corner.

Werner had already hit a post and the crossbar before he raced away from Jan Bednarek, rounded Fraser Forster and slotted into an empty net from an angle for Chelsea's third.

The striker, back in the starting line-up, then hit the woodwork for a third time in the first half after capitalising on more poor Southampton defending, and the rebound fell to Kai Havertz to tap in.

Forster still had to make saves from Havertz and Rudiger before half-time while Mount went close with a deflected effort. However, Chelsea picked up from where they left off at the start of the second half when Werner converted into an empty net after Forster had saved from Ngolo Kante.

Player ratings:

Southampton: Forster (5), Walker-Peters (5), Romeu (4), Ward-Prowse (4), A. Armstrong (5), Adams (5), S. Armstrong (5), Livramento (4), Salisu (4), Elyounoussi (4), Bednarek (4).

Subs: Smallbone (5), Diallo (5), Valery (5).

Chelsea: Mendy (7), Rudiger (7), Alonso (8), Christensen (7), Silva (7), Kante (8), Kovacic (8), Werner (9), Loftus-Cheek (8), Mount (9), Havertz (8).

Subs: Pulisic (6), Ziyech (6), James (6).

Man of the match: Mason Mount

Southampton did go close through Che Adams, who was denied at close range by Edouard Mendy.

Werner was denied a hat-trick by another Forster save but yet again the rebound fell kindly for Mount to tap in for a simple sixth to set Chelsea well and truly back on track.

Opta stats: Away day joy for Chelsea

Chelsea have won each of their last seven away games in all competitions, their joint-longest winning run on the road in their history, alongside seven-match streaks in April 1989 and November 2019.

This was Chelsea's joint-biggest top-flight away win, alongside 6-0 victories at Barnsley (August 1997) and Wigan (August 2010). For Southampton, their only heavier home defeat in their Football League history was their record 9-0 loss to Leicester in October 2019.

Southampton have lost three consecutive Premier League games at St. Mary's, this after having only lost three of their previous 20 home league matches beforehand (W8 D9).

Chelsea took a 4-0 lead in the 31st minute against Southampton, the earliest any side has scored four from the start of a Premier League match away from home since Chelsea themselves in October 2011 at Bolton (27th minute).

This was the 19th time that Chelsea have scored 6+ goals in a single Premier League game, the joint-most of any club (level with Manchester City). Conversely, Southampton shipped 6+ goals in a Premier League match for a 10th time, the outright most of any side.

Chelsea's Mason Mount both scored and assisted in a single Premier League game for a fifth time this season; no player has done so more in 2021-22 (level with Mo Salah).

Mason Mount has been directly involved in 18 Premier League goals this season (10 goals, 8 assists); the only English player to have a hand in more in a single season in the competition for Chelsea is Frank Lampard (five times).

Chelsea forward Timo Werner scored his second and third Premier League goals of the season, all of which have come against Southampton. Indeed, 56% of his goals in the competition overall have come against the Saints (5/9), the only opponent he has netted against more than once.

Chelsea's fixture schedule:

April 12 - Real Madrid (a) Champions League QF second leg

April 17 - Crystal Palace (Wembley) FA Cup semi-final

April 20 - Arsenal (h) Premier League, live on Sky Sports

April 24 - West Ham (h) Premier League, live on Sky Sports

April 26/27 - Man City/Atletico Madrid Champions League SF first leg *

May 1 - Everton (a) Premier League, live on Sky Sports

May 3/4 - Man City/Atletico Madrid Champions League SF second leg *

May 7 - Wolves (h) Premier League

May 11 - Leeds (a) Premier League, live on Sky Sports

May 14 - FA Cup final *

May 15 - Man United (a) Premier League, live on Sky Sports

May 19 - Leicester (h) Premier League

May 22 - Watford (h) Premier League

May 28 - Champions League final *

* Subject to progress

What's next for Southampton?

Southampton host Arsenal next Saturday at St Mary's at 3pm before visiting Burnley on Thursday April 21 at 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports.

Teams

Southampton Forster, Livramento (Smallbone 73), Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse (c), Romeu Valery 36), S. Armstrong, Elyounoussi, A. Armstrong (Diallo 46), Adams
Subs Not Used Caballero, Stephens, Perraud, Walcott, Redmond, Tella
Booked Bednarek
Goals

Chelsea Mendy, Christensen, Silva (James 63), Rudiger, Loftus-Cheek, Kante (c), Kovacic, Alonso, Mount (Ziyech 69), Havertz (Pulisic 46), Werner
Subs Not Used Kepa, Chalobah, Saul, Barkley, Jorginho, Sarr
Booked
Goals Alonso 8, Mount 16, 54, Werner 21, 49, Havertz 31

Attendance 31,359

Referee Kevin Friend

VAR Lee Mason