December 23, 2024

Chelsea 3-3 Southampton, Football League updates and more – live!

Chelsea #Chelsea

12.37pm EDT 12:37

Frank Lampard speaks: “You go two goals up you want to finish it off,” he tells the BBC. “It was the best we’ve played this season for sure at this stage, but Southampton are a good side. They put pressure on us off the ball. They put us under pressure after the first goal. My message at half-time was that the goal shouldn’t change too much. We never got to the same levels in the second half. We can do better.”

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard gets animated on the touchline. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

12.34pm EDT 12:34

Comment: Jordan Pickford should have been sent off early on in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool, went on to make some outstanding saves before getting away with a late blunder, writes Jonathan Wilson.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford showcases the good, the bad and the ugly | Jonathan Wilson

12.32pm EDT 12:32

Timo Werner speaks: “The first half we played very well,” says Chelsea’s striker. “When you concede a goal two or three minutes before half-time it is not easy. You have to think with a clear head. Southampton make a lot of pressure on us and pressed us high. We gave them too much in terms of opportunities. We have to win the game. I am happy about the goals but I want to win the game.”

Timo Werner eyes the ball during Chelsea’s match against Southampton. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/AFP/Getty Images

12.29pm EDT 12:29

Ralph Hasenhuttl speaks: “We saw a very interesting game,” says Southampton’s manager. “It was spectacular, with a lot of goal chances. Not so good in the first half from my side. We did not have much time to prepare for this game, but in the second half we were much better – dominant, had lots of possession and showed good game management.

“The goals we conceded were too easy, we know the quality and speed of Werner and Havertz but we never stopped believing, made the equaliser and I think the point is deserved.”

Ralph Hasenhuttl congratulates Kyle Walker-Peters after Southampton snatched a late point at Stamford Bridge. Photograph: Matthew Childs/AFP/Getty Images

12.25pm EDT 12:25

Manchester City v Arsenal live …

Premier League: Expect no end of sorcerer v apprentice analogies in tomorrow’s papers as Pep Guardiola welcomes his former assistant to the Etihad. Scott Murray has the latest …

Manchester City v Arsenal: Premier League – live!

12.22pm EDT 12:22

Match report: Celtic 0-2 Rangers

Scottish Premiership: Rangers central defender Connor Goldson bagged a rare brace as Rangers overcame an out-of-sorts Celtic. They moved four points clear of Neil Lennon’s side at the top of the table, having played one game more.

Connor Goldson’s surprise double for Rangers secures deserved win at Celtic

12.16pm EDT 12:16

Match report: Everton 2-2 Liverpool

Premier League: Jurgen Klopp and his side were left feeling extremely aggrieved by a couple of bizarre refereeing decisions as the sides shared the points at Goodison Park.

Liverpool denied by Everton and VAR in wild Merseyside derby draw

11.58am EDT 11:58

Full time: Chelsea 3-3 Southampton

Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! Another bonkers game in a bizarre campaign draws to a close, with Southampton rescuing a point courtesy of a last gasp equaliser from Jannik Vestergaard. Chelsea looked home and hosed in the first half after Timo Werner put them two up, but Danny ings gave his side a platform on which to build before the break.

Southampton equalised through Che Adams following some slapstick defending from Chelsea, only to go behind moments later when Kai Havertz got on the scoresheet. Chelsea tried to close out the game, but Southampton scored in the game’s knockings after Vestergaard flicked the ball past Kepa, helping a mishit Theo Walcott shot on its way past the Spaniard.

11.54am EDT 11:54

90+4 min: Southampton are throwing the kitchen sink at a shell-shocked Chelsea in these closing seconds. Theo Walcott turns and shoots from distance but his effort goes wide.

11.53am EDT 11:53

90+3 min: Danny Ings gets in behind and shapes to toe-poke the ball goalwards, only to be foiled by a crucial intervention from Kurt Zouma.

11.52am EDT 11:52

GOAL! Chelsea 3-3 Southampton (Vestergaard 90+2)

Southampton equalise! Vestergaard flicks the ball past Kepa with his head after a Theo Walcott had mishit it following a Kurt Zouma clearance from a Southampton free-kick on the left.

11.50am EDT 11:50

90 min: Chelsea substitution: Timo Werner walks off with two Premier League goals to show for his afternoon’s work. Tammy Abraham replaces him.

11.49am EDT 11:49

90 min: Ben Chilwell canters down the left before trying to pick out Kai Havertz with a cross. Southampton clear.

11.48am EDT 11:48

88 min: Southampton continue to chase the game, but Chelsea aren’t giving them a sniff of the ball as they attempt to close out the game with the bare minimum of fuss.

11.47am EDT 11:47

86 min: Southampton double-substitution: Diallo and Long on for Adams and Romeu. Chelsea substitution: Reece James on for Christian Pulisic.

11.45am EDT 11:45

85 min:Chelsea win a free-kick for a Ryan Bertrand foul on Kai Havertz near halfway. Ziyech takes a free-kick, trying to pick out Christian Pulisic’s run into to the Chelsea penalty area. It was intelligent, quick thinking but he undercooked his pass.

Updated at 11.45am EDT

11.43am EDT 11:43

84 min: Oriel Romeu gets a yellow card for some indiscretion or other.

11.42am EDT 11:42

82 min: The lull ends as Kepa gets down to save a low Danny ings drive through a thicket of legs.

11.41am EDT 11:41

80 min: BT Sport commentator Ian Darke takes advantage of a lull to advertise his emplyers’ Pay Per View match between Sheffield United and Fulham tomorrow. A snip at £14.95 on top of subscribers already exorbitant monthly fees, you can imagine that mouthwatering lunchtime clash of the titans being box office gold.

Updated at 11.42am EDT

11.38am EDT 11:38

78 min: Che Adams drags a decent effort narrowly wide after being teed up by Theo Walcott.

11.37am EDT 11:37

77 min: Southampton substitution: Nathan Redmond makes way for Nathan Tella. That’s a like for like substitution – one Nathan for another.

11.36am EDT 11:36

76 min: Chelsea corner. The balls swung into the mixer and an unmarked Kai Havertz heads over the bar from the edge of the six yard box with a terrible header when he should have buried the ball in the back of the net. That’s an awful miss.

11.35am EDT 11:35

75 min: Ziyech is involved in a Chelsea move that ends with the ball being played wide to Azpilicueta on the right. He overhits his cross.

11.33am EDT 11:33

74 min: Hakim Ziyech has taken up a position on the left wing for Chelsea, with Christian Pulisic moving across to the right.

11.33am EDT 11:33

74 min: Chelsea win a throw-in deep in their own half, a decision that displeases Che Adams no end. He complains at great length to the referee’s assistant, trying to convince him it should have been Southampton’s ball.

11.31am EDT 11:31

72 min: Chelsea substitution: Hakim Ziyech makes his eagerly awaited Chelsea debut, coming on for Mason Mount.

11.28am EDT 11:28

69 min: Oriel Romeu volleys high over the Chelsea bar with a volley from the edge of the penalty area after Kurt Zouma had headed a Southampton corner clear.

11.27am EDT 11:27

65 min: One man’s quick and entertaining exchange of goals is another minute-by-minute reporter’s nightmare. While I was still trying to figure out how the hell Southampton managed to score their bizarre equaliser (other versions are available), Chelsea broke up the field and re-took the lead. Momentum had swung Southampton’s way, so Ralph Hasenhuttl will be furious that his side conceded again so soon after equalising.

11.22am EDT 11:22

61 min: Attacking on the break, Chelsea carved Southampton open after excellent work from Christian Pulisic. He played Werner, who looked suspiciously offside, in behind and his cross to the unmarked Havertz was slotted home from a few yards out.

Updated at 11.24am EDT

11.20am EDT 11:20

GOAL! Chelsea 3-2 Southampton (Havertz 59)

Well, this second half has escalated quickly. Kai Havertz puts Chelsea back into the lead.

Havertz beats McCarthy to score Chelsea’s third goal Photograph: Matthew Childs/EPA

Updated at 11.28am EDT

11.20am EDT 11:20

58 min: Lets pick through the bones of that one. A long ball down the right flank was hideously miscontrolled by Kurt Zouma as he tried to play it back to Kepa. Kepa raced off his line to hack the ball clear, only to have it dinked past him by Adams. Unable to score from a ridiculously tight angle, he tried to hook it back into the path of Danny ings from right beside the upright. Back on his line, Kepa half-blocked his attempted pass but the ball bounced kindly for Adams, who smashed it into the goal. Or something like that …

Updated at 11.24am EDT

11.16am EDT 11:16

Chelsea 2-2 Southampton (Adams 57)

The sides are level. Che Adams roofs the ball after a comedy of errors in the Chelsea penalty area.

Che Adams scores Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Updated at 11.26am EDT

11.15am EDT 11:15

55 min: Kyle Walker-Peters tries his luck from a tightish angle with a low daisy-cutter. Kepa gets down to save comfortably enough.

11.14am EDT 11:14

54 min: Bertrand hoists the balls towards Vestergaard in the Chelsea penalty area. Their hosts can only half clear and after some very neat one-two passing on the edge of the area, Danny Ings pulls a low diagonal effort no more than a foot wide of the upright.

11.13am EDT 11:13

52 min: No chances of note for either side so far in this half but Southampton have started this 45 minutes with considerably more zip than they did the previous one. They win a free-kick just inside the Chelsea half for a body-check on Nathan Redmond by Cesar Azpilicueta.

11.09am EDT 11:09

48 min: Ben Chilwell gets booked after losing the ball to James Ward-Prowse courtesy of a poor touch, then grabbing the Southampton midfielder’s shirt to halt his progress. Free-kick for Southampton, wide on the right. Ward-Prowse curls the ball into the Chelsea penalty area, where Kepa grabs it comfortably.

11.07am EDT 11:07

47 min: There are no changes in personnel on either side.

Updated at 11.07am EDT

11.06am EDT 11:06

Second half: Chelsea 2-1 Southampton

46 min: Chelsea get the second half started, after the players of Southampton join them on the pitch following their long trek from the Stamford Bridge medical centre, which they are using as a dressing-room. Ralph Hasenhuttl looks displeased and seems to be telling the ref that they couldn’t hear the bell or buzzer telling them it was time to return to the pitch. It’s not rocket science, Ralph – half-time intervals in football matches generally last 15 minutes.

10.49am EDT 10:49

Half-time: Chelsea 2-1 Southampton

Timo Werner put Chelsea two up with his first and second Premier League goals, giving his side a comfortable lead. They were in complete control and Southampton’s goose looked well and truly cooked, but a late goal from Danny Ings has given them plenty of hope ahead of the second half.

10.47am EDT 10:47

45+1 min: Timo Werner smashes a cross towards the near post from the left, but it’s cleared by Southampton. Corner for Chelsea, moments before the break. Vestergaard clears Chilwell’s delivery.

10.45am EDT 10:45

GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Southampton (Ings 43)

Southampton pull one back! Kai Havertz loses the ball halfway inside his own half and it’s played in behind the Chelsea pass for Danny Ings to run onto. He deceives Kepa with a wonderful touch and slots the ball into the gaping goal.

Ings rounds the keeper before scoring Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

Updated at 10.46am EDT

10.41am EDT 10:41

38 min: Kai Havertz turns Jannick Vestergaard and plays the ball to Werner, who shoots high and wide from a tight angle instead of playing the ball back to his team-mate, who was in a much better position and screaming for the return pass. A let-off for Southampton; Havertz lets Werner know, in very strong terms indeed, that he is unhappy with his selfishness.

10.36am EDT 10:36

36 min: Kyle Walker-Peters tries to play the ball down the right flank towards Che Adams, who is muscled off the ball near the touchline.

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