Chelsea vs. Southampton | Premier League | Pre Match

Two struggling sides on downward spirals seek to restore some Premier League parity on Tuesday evening, when Chelsea welcome Championship-bound Southampton to Stamford Bridge.

Enzo Maresca's men are reeling from a third straight loss in all competitions - going down 2-1 to Aston Villa - while their visitors put up little resistance in a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion.

As we speak, the Chelsea transfer gurus ought to be busy compiling a list of goalkeeping targets for the summer window; after the error-strewn Robert Sanchez was dropped in favour of Filip Jorgensen, it was the Scandinavian's turn to make a fatal mistake at Villa Park.

Enzo Fernandez's tap-in and a scrappy Marco Asensio goal would ostensibly lead to a share of the spoils in the West Midlands, but with no fewer than 89 minutes on the clock, the latter connected with a volley that should have been meat and drink for Jorgensen. However, the 22-year-old inexplicably let the ball squirm through his body to spark jubilant scenes for the Villa Park faithful and condemn Chelsea to a third straight loss in all competitions, one that leaves them still trailing the top four in the Premier League table.

Maresca could at least take pride in his side's reaction to their 3-0 thrashing versus Brighton on February 14, but he labelled Saturday's loss the "toughest" of his Chelsea tenure so far as the Blues' away day misfortunes continued; they have now failed to win in seven on the road, losing four on the spin. Tuesday's hosts have plenty of home comforts to fall back on, though, having prevailed in three of their last four at Stamford Bridge - scoring at least two goals on each occasion - and Fulham's shock Boxing Day triumph marks their only loss from their last 18 on familiar territory.

For all of Chelsea's recent turmoil, the Blues faithful should not expect a shred of sympathy from Southampton supporters, whose side could still set a new lowest-ever Premier League points total before their seemingly inevitable drop down to the second tier. The top flight's whipping boys became part of an unwanted club on Saturday, where Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma, Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter helped themselves to goals in a 4-0 trouncing for Brighton, who subjected the Saints to an eighth straight loss at home in the Premier League.

Only three other teams have ever suffered such a horrific losing run in a single season in the competition, and the nine-point visitors - who need at least three draws or one win to overtake Derby County's abysmal 11-point total from 2007-08 - remain cut adrift at the foot of the pile with just 12 games to go. A short sojourn away from the South Coast might do Juric's side some good, as their only win from their last 16 Premier League contests came away to Ipswich Town, and Southampton can take another crumb of comfort from the fact that they have scored in four games in a row on the road.

Furthermore, the Saints' last trip to Stamford Bridge in February 2023 ended in a marvellous 1-0 victory, but without James Ward-Prowse and his trusty free kicks, they were subjected to a 5-1 slaughter by Maresca's men during a St Mary's mauling in December. Salt was rubbed into the Chelsea wounds on Saturday night after Trevoh Chalobah was forced off inside just eight minutes with a back problem, although Maresca delivered more of a reassuring than a worrying update at full time.

However, Chalobah will now take his place on the sidelines with thigh victims Omari Kellyman, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia and Marc Guiu - as well as the suspended Mykhaylo Mudryk - for the next week. Tosin Adarabioyo should fend off the challenge of Josh Acheampong to fill in for Chalobah, while Reece James completed the full 90 on Saturday but may also be in line for a rest if Maresca feels that two starts in four days are too much for the injury-plagued skipper.

The Italian was of course questioned on whether Jorgensen would keep his place in goal after his Villa Park blunder, but in his pre-game press conference, he suggested that he would stick rather than twist. Maresca and Juric can empathise when it comes to fresh defensive blows, as Jan Bednarek was also taken off early in Southampton's loss to Brighton with muscular fatigue; he has avoided a serious issue but is unavailable for this one.

Bednarek's absence will prove all the more problematic if Taylor Harwood-Bellis (ankle) cannot recover in time for the trip to the capital, as Juric also refused to risk Jack Stephens on Saturday following his return from injury, but there is optimism over the former. Ross Stewart (calf), Ryan Fraser (calf) and Adam Lallana (thigh) are still missing too, while on-loan Blues midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu cannot face his parent club.

Chelsea will need to channel their frustration into this crucial home fixture and attempt to capitalize on Southampton's frailties. The Stamford Bridge crowd will expect a dominant performance, with Maresca's tactical setup aiming to unlock a Saints defense that has been far too generous this season. The attacking duo of Fernandez and Asensio must step up, alongside the young talent in the Chelsea squad, to ensure that the club does not suffer another humiliating setback. A win here could reignite hopes of European qualification, but another slip-up would deepen the crisis at Stamford Bridge.

On the other hand, Southampton arrive with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Their abysmal league position may have all but sealed their fate, but spoiling Chelsea’s resurgence would be a welcome morale boost. Juric will need his team to be disciplined, defensively solid, and opportunistic in front of goal if they are to snatch a result in London. Given their struggles, the Saints must find a way to remain compact and withstand the inevitable waves of Chelsea pressure.

In the grander scheme of things, this match will serve as a litmus test for both teams. Chelsea, despite their struggles, have the tools and the squad depth to turn their season around, but they must prove it on the pitch. Southampton, however, face an uphill battle and need to start showing the fight necessary to avoid finishing with one of the worst points totals in Premier League history. Regardless of the outcome, both teams will leave Stamford Bridge knowing that their respective futures hinge on the performances they deliver in the crucial weeks ahead.