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Mason Mount\u2019s penalty rescued off-color Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Southampton as the Saints frustrated Thomas Tuchel\u2019s Blues and put a halt to their six-game losing run.<\/p>\nMason Mount\u2019s penalty rescued off-color Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Southampton as the Saints frustrated Thomas Tuchel\u2019s Blues and put a halt to their six-game losing run.<\/p>\n
Takumi Minamino\u2019s fine finish put Southampton ahead at the break and Ralph Hasenhuttl\u2019s men held on for a morale-boosting point.<\/p>\n
Former RB Leipzig boss Hasenhuttl\u2019s Saints hassled ex-Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel\u2019s Chelsea off their composed stride at St Mary\u2019s Stadium.<\/p>\n
Chelsea headed to the coast with five-straight wins in all competitions, while Saints were smarting from a record six consecutive Premier League defeats.<\/p>\n
The draw was the least of pre-match expectations, but in the end two managers cut from the same cloth cancelled each other out.<\/p>\n
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham was withdrawn at half-time with another ankle problem, while N\u2019Golo Kante was perhaps lucky to escape a red card for an apparent stamp on Moussa Djenepo.<\/p>\n
Callum Hudson-Odoi replaced Abraham at the interval for Chelsea, but was later hauled off himself, with Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech pitched into action late on.<\/p>\n
Unless Hudson-Odoi had picked up an injury issue, this would certainly prove a bold call from Chelsea\u2019s German manager.<\/p>\n
Chelsea were left frustrated by the draw, especially with a demanding run of matches ahead starting with Tuesday\u2019s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.<\/p>\n
Southampton meanwhile were relieved to end that record run of league losses, that had taken in their 9-0 mauling at Manchester United.<\/p>\n
Jan Bednarek filled Saints\u2019 problem right-back berth, in the injury absence of regular starter Kyle Walker-Peters. Saints lined up in a back three from kick-off, but this was merely a bluff as the hosts quickly settled into a defensive four.<\/p>\n
Chelsea dominated from the get-go, hogging possession and territory \u2013 but the visitors were unable to make anything pay.<\/p>\n
Saints\u2019 high-octane press put an exacting squeeze on Tuchel\u2019s men and the Blues were unable to offer a considered response.<\/p>\n
Too often the Blues wasted a hard-won final ball, letting down minutes of considered build-up play.<\/p>\n
Marcos Alonso volleyed wide from Reece James\u2019 teasing cross in the Blues\u2019 best chance of a frustrating opening half-hour.<\/p>\n
Just when Chelsea expected to press on to reflect their dominance on the scoreboard however, up popped Saints with a devastating counter-attack.<\/p>\n
Redmond\u2019s inch-perfect through-ball almost poured scorn on Chelsea\u2019s profligacy and begged for Minamino to latch on and finish.<\/p>\n
The Japan forward did exactly that and then some \u2013 cutting inside Cesar Azpilicueta\u2019s despairing lunge before toeing past Edouard Mendy.<\/p>\n
Kurt Zouma thundered a header on goal from Alonso\u2019s free-kick as Chelsea chased a response, but Alex McCarthy was equal to the effort with a fine stop.<\/p>\n
At the end of the half Kante was hugely fortunate to escape a card after seeming to stamp on Djenepo, with a VAR review coming to naught.<\/p>\n
Chelsea had much to lament at the break and returned renewed \u2013 but without Abraham.<\/p>\n
The England hitman was withdrawn with another apparent ankle issue, with Hudson-Odoi into the mix in an advanced role.<\/p>\n
The young winger had an almost immediate impact, his cute ball inside forcing Ings to fell Mount in Saints\u2019 box.<\/p>\n
Mount won whatever argument there was on who should take the spot-kick and vindicated that call by stroking home in style.<\/p>\n
For Chelsea the equalizer was supposed to spark a rousing comeback.<\/p>\n
Instead the next action of note came when Jannik Vestergaard hit the bar with a powerful header.<\/p>\n
Saints had responded the stronger to the clash being back on level terms, but then Mount went close with a curling shot that drew a smart McCarthy save.<\/p>\n
Hudson-Odoi was replaced by Jorginho late on in a move that would prove difficult to explain unless the young winger had suffered an injury issue.<\/p>\n
James skewed a shot high and wide in the six-yard box after Mount\u2019s far-post cross and that effectively was that.<\/p>\n