Chelsea continued with their poor form this season after a 1-0 loss to Southampton at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Blues’ best effort at finding the net was from substitute Raheem Sterling, and it was hacked away from under the bar by Armel Bella-Kotchap.
That came after a difficult first half for the home team who struggled to stamp their authority on the game.
It ended in painful circumstances for them as James Ward-Prowse gave Southampton the lead in added time, curling a free-kick from the edge of the box beyond the reach of Kepa Arrizabalaga and into the bottom corner.
Chelsea tried to fight back after the break, with substitute Sterling and Noni Madueke threatening from wide, but couldn’t find a way past the Saints defence in an increasingly frustrating second half, which was halted for a long time as Cesar Azpilicueta received treatment after catching a boot in the face.
The Chelsea skipper would later leave the pitch on a stretcher, and ended in acrimonious circumstances with a flurry of bookings as tempers flared.
