Chelsea 3 Southampton 1: José Mourinho had not counted Southampton one of the six Premier League title contenders when sizing up the division in pre-season but, in coming from behind to overcome Mauricio Pochettino's impressive side here, Chelsea issued their latest statement of grand intent.
Transforming this occasion from the half-time grumbles to full-time celebrations felt psychologically significant.
Southampton, after all, had led after 15 seconds and, as a team, are so strong defensively and menacing on the counter-attack. The turnaround was never guaranteed. As it was, the win served as a marker, not least in the inspiration upon which it drew from Juan Mata’s attacking invention.
Chelsea will feel more persuasive as challengers themselves when the Spaniard is reintegrated properly into their first-choice line-up, and he was excellent throughout to hoist the performances of those around him.
By the end, as Demba Ba slid in a third, Chelsea were revelling in the ascendancy with Mourinho hugging his son, José Jr, in the youngster's reallocated seat behind the home dugout. This ended up feeling comfortable.
In the context, it was perverse to consider they had initially been chasing this contest having been unhinged from the visitors' kick-off. Southampton had mustered three passes from the whistle before Michael Essien, his radar scrambled, poked a tentative and unnecessary back-pass over a stunned Gary Cahill to bisect the hosts' centre-halves immaculately.
Jay Rodriguez, demonstrating all the calm and poise Essien lacked, darted through the centre and on to the loose pass to convert simply beyond Petr Cech with the home defence already beginning their inquest in the goalmouth.
Essien was understandably crestfallen. This had been a first Premier League start since May 2012, with his rustiness understandable given he had started only two League Cup ties since returning to the club from last season’s loan spell under Mourinho at Real Madrid.
His afternoon hardly improved thereafter, with misplaced passes and a caution for a dive as he confronted Morgan Schneiderlin, before he was substituted for Ba at the interval almost as a mercy.
The hosts at least responded to their deficit, albeit only sporadically up to the interval. Oscar had been bright and forced Artur Boruc into saves before a collision with Victor Wanyama saw the Brazilian replaced. The Polish goalkeeper, who had shipped to his opposite number at Stoke after 13 seconds earlier this season, was then inspired in denying Fernando Torres's header, Boruc tracking Mata's cross then diving to his left to tip away the Spaniard's effort. Yet the Pole's own afternoon was to deteriorate.
The contest had become increasingly tempestuous in the early exchanges of the second period, Chelsea intent upon disrupting their opponents’ authority with Ba adding muscle to their front-line and Mata increasingly influential, when Boruc was forced to tip over Frank Lampard’s looped free-kick.
They cluttered the area at Mata's resultant corner, Branislav Ivanovic nodding down and Ba prodding against the post from close-range before Cahill reacted superbly to twist his body and nod into the gaping net. Boruc, wrapped around the woodwork, damaged his left hand in the concession and eventually ambled out of the game.
His loss was damaging. Boruc's replacement, the former Gillingham youngster Paulo Gazzaniga, had not played since a defeat at Anfield exactly a year ago but, three minutes into his return to the first-team, he was already beaten.
Southampton failed to clear their lines sufficiently from Mata's corner, the Spaniard eventually flinging over a second cross which was met emphatically by John Terry, easing himself away from Rodriguez. Gazzaniga was helpless to prevent the ball arcing over his backtrack and in.
It was a fine way to celebrate the captain’s 400th Premier League appearance. There should have been further rewards before the end, Ba ripping a shot just wide of the far post having been fed by yet another incisive Mata pass. The Senegalese’s own reward was reserved for stoppage time, from Ramires’s centre, as Chelsea completed their comeback to move clear into second place on Arsenal’s shoulder.
(Guardian Service)
