Southampton vs Chelsea: 4 things to look out for

Chelsea looks to extend their winning streak to four matches across all competitions as they travel to St. Mary’s Stadium for their first-midweek Premier League fixture of the season. A victory would allow Enzo Maresca's side to retain their position among the top three in the league standings.

Here are the key things to watch for in this encounter:

1. Starting XI Changes

So far, Chelsea’s midweek matches have been in cup competitions. Enzo Maresca has consistently opted for an entirely different XI in these games, with at best one or two players retaining their spots. Wednesday night marks the first time his team will play a midweek match in the Premier League.

It’s not far-fetched to say that every Premier League side will be a tougher opponent for Chelsea compared to the teams they have faced in cup competitions. It will be interesting to see if Maresca sticks with his rotation strategy or fields a stronger lineup. To be fair to Chelsea’s squad, most players are good enough to start regularly. For some, playing only once in two matches seems ideal given the injury troubles of last season. Meanwhile, effective rotation has kept the team fresher than their opponents with European commitments. Altogether, it’s expected that Maresca will opt for a mix of both lineups.

2. Wesley Fofana’s Replacement

The only real setback from Sunday’s successful win over Aston Villa was Wesley Fofana’s injury. The French international will miss several weeks due to a hamstring issue. Benoît Badiashile replaced him during the match, but it disrupted Chelsea’s preferred center-back pairing of a right-footed and left-footed player.

If Maresca wants to maintain that balance, Tosin Adarabioyo is the only senior right-footed center-back available. Having played in cup competitions, Adarabioyo will be ready to step in if Maresca decides to preserve the same setup.

3. Familiarities

Southampton were one of the promoted sides this season from the Championship, finishing as runners-up to Enzo Maresca’s Leicester City. The Italian head coach will be familiar with how Russell Martin likes his team to play and will have observed their performances closely.

Despite being bottom of the table with just five points, history suggests that their current position means little in the Premier League. Southampton were one of the few teams to give league leaders Liverpool a tough match when they visited St. Mary’s a few weeks ago. For a few Chelsea players who remain in the squad from the last time they faced the Saints in the Premier League, this fixture carries extra weight. Southampton completed a league double over Chelsea the last time they were in the top flight.

4. The Tottenham Factor

After facing Southampton, Chelsea will make a short trip to North London to play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. The London derby will undoubtedly be on the back of Maresca and his team's mind while preparing for Wednesday’s game.

Maresca will want his top-performing players to rest fully ahead of the clash with Spurs. Chelsea will aim to establish a comfortable lead against Southampton as early as possible, allowing key starters for Sunday’s match to remain on the bench during the midweek fixture.