STATS: Chelsea vs Southampton

Chelsea vs Southampton 16:10

Chelsea welcome Southampton to Stamford Bridge off the back of an impressive 3-0 victory away to West Ham.

Oscar tucked away another goal to continue his stunning start to the season. Jose Mourinho sees the Brazilian as his first choice number 10, with his ability to thread a cute through ball integral to Chelsea’s offensive play. He is, however, less renowned for his defensive play – but this was one area where he was incredibly successful on Saturday. Of the 8 challenges Oscar attempted, he won 7 of them.

Ramires is another player who has impressed for Mourinho’s men this term, and he continued this form on Saturday, completing a pass in West Ham’s half at a rate of a pass every 2.9 minutes.

There have been calls for John Terry to return to the international fold, as he looks to be returning back to his best form. The Chelsea skipper has marshaled his defence superbly this term, and this was evident again on Saturday as he made 10 clearances – more than any other Chelsea player.

Eden Hazard has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons at points this season, but what has never been questioned is his outstanding offensive ability. So far this term, no player in the Chelsea squad has made as many goal scoring contributions (based on goals and assists) as Hazard’s 9.

Southampton produced a spirited performance, but ultimately succumbed to a disappointing defeat to Arsenal.

Victor Wanyama’s status as a powerhouse of Southampton’s central midfield was cemented on Saturday, as he produced another barnstorming display. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index demonstrates that he attempted 9 challenges, and won every single one.

Teenage sensation James Ward-Prowse produced another impressive display on Saturday, highlighting his excellent passing ability. He completed 32 passes in Arsenal’s half, more than any of his teammates.

Jay Rodriguez may not have performed to the best of his ability when given his chance on the international stage, but he was back on form against Arsenal showcasing his ability to beat defenders with ease. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that he completed 5 dribbles on Saturday, the most in the league.

Jose Fonte has become an essential component of the Southampton lineup, establishing himself as a rock at the heart of the Southampton defence. His importance is underlined by the fact he is the only outfield player in Southampton’s squad to have featured in every minute of the campaign so far.