- Southampton have lost 10 of their 13 Premier League games
- Chelsea have won their last three matches
- Recommended bet: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea have enhanced their chances of returning to the Champions League next season with a five-match unbeaten run in the league and they can tack on another victory when they tackle Southampton at St Mary's on Wednesday.

The Blues have won their last three games in all competitions, while the Saints have collected a miserly five points from 13 top-flight matches and could be outclassed by Enzo Maresca's confident side.

Team news

Southampton have a lengthy injury list but have also been hit by the suspension of three players as Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Tyler Dibling all picked up yellow cards against Brighton, triggering one-match bans.

Joe Lumley could retain his place in goal after starting that match, but Will Smallbone, Jan Bednarek and Adam Lallana are injured and Paul Onuachu will be assessed after missing out at Brighton.

Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Omari Kellyman are out injured for Chelsea, but Malo Gusto made a substitute appearance against Aston Villa after three weeks out and should be available.

The stats

Chelsea have won four of their six away league matches.

The Blues have conceded only six away goals in the league this season.

Southampton have lost four of their six home Premier League games

Both teams have scored in only two of the Saints' last five league matches.

Chelsea have won to nil in three of their last five games in all competitions.

The Blues have failed to score in only two of their 21 matches this season.

Prediction

Chelsea look a much-improved team under new manager Maresca this season after a long spell of underachievement and they can keep their strong run of results going with a win at Southampton.

The Saints did a league double over the struggling Blues last season, but it would be a major upset if they can secure only their second Premier League win of the season when the high-flying Blues head to St Mary's on Wednesday.

Maresca has been able to shuffle his pack in recent matches without harming results and Sunday's 3-0 home win over Aston Villa was one of their most impressive performances of the campaign.

The Saints have a scheduling advantage having played on Friday night, but they have major team selection issues after three players picked up yellow cards against Brighton and are suspended for this match.

With Harwood-Bellis, Downes and Dibling all unavailable, manager Russell Martin is short of high-quality options and while his team claimed a point at Brighton, they were on the back foot for most of that match.

The Blues' only defeat in their last nine games came when they fielded a weakened team in the Carabao Cup against Newcastle while Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are in fine form and both found the net against Villa.

Chelsea's only league losses this season have been inflicted by Manchester City and Liverpool and a one-win Southampton team could find it hard to hold them back.

The London side have tightened up defensively with clean sheets in their last two games and only two goals conceded in their last five matches.

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