Chelsea vs Southampton preview

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Southampton in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

• Premier League table

Team news

Cesar Azpilicueta will be checked on by Chelsea after limping off against Tottenham and Frank Lampard reported a few "bumps and bruises" but nothing too serious in his squad. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is Chelsea's sole missing star. The England midfielder has stepped up his recovery from a long-term heel problem, but is not yet ready for a playing return.

Southampton are monitoring Moussa Djenepo's hamstring injury suffered in the win over Aston Villa.

Yan Valery is out with a virus.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How to follow

Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published just after full-time on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.

• How to watch Premier League highlights
• Live football on Sky Sports this week

Opta stats

• Chelsea have won seven of their last eight Premier League games against Southampton (D1), since a 1-3 home loss in October 2015.
• Southampton and Chelsea drew 0-0 in this exact fixture last season - Saints have never kept consecutive away clean sheets against the Blues in the top-flight.
• Chelsea and Southampton have met four times on Boxing Day in the Premier League, most famously 20 years ago when Chelsea became the first Premier League side to name a starting XI with no British players in a 2-1 win at the Dell.
• Chelsea are currently unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League Boxing Day games (W9 D5), the longest such run without defeat in the competition's history. Their last loss was back in 2003 against Charlton (2-4).
• This is Southampton's 17th Premier League Boxing Day game (W4 D6 L6), and it will be their 16th such game against a London side, with the exception being a 3-0 win at Cardiff in 2013. Their only away Boxing Day victory in the capital in the competition was at Crystal Palace in 2014 (otherwise D4 L3).
• Chelsea have lost two of their last three Premier League home games (W1), as many as they had in their previous 28 at Stamford Bridge in the competition (W16 D10 L2). Indeed, in all competitions the Blues have lost five home games this season - only once in the 21st century have they lost more at Stamford Bridge (6 in 2015-16).
• Southampton have scored in each of their last eight Premier League away games, their longest such streak in the competition since a run of 11 between December 2013-April 2014. Indeed, only Man City (20) and Liverpool (12) are on longer current runs of scoring in consecutive away games in the competition than Saints.
• Southampton's last 16 Premier League goals have been scored by English players - excluding own goals, it's the longest such run in the competition since Queens Park Rangers between March 1996-September 2011 (17).
• Danny Ings scored Southampton's goal in their 1-4 defeat in the reverse fixture against Chelsea. In the Premier League era, only Rickie Lambert (2012-13) and Kevin Davies (1997-98) have scored in both games against the Blues in a single season for the club.
• Chelsea's Willian has netted four goals in 17 Premier League appearances, one more than he netted in 32 games last term. Willian, who scored twice last time out vs Spurs, hasn't found the net in consecutive PL games since October 2015.

Charlie's prediction

I thought Chelsea were fabulous against Tottenham. As good as Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have been, how good was Willian? He is up there with the likes of Jamie Vardy, Kevin De Bruyne and Sadio Mane for me.

We are quite right to support the young Chelsea players, they will be an up-and-down team and will feel the pressure of demands when Southampton sit in. Danny Ings is in the form of his life and if he gets a half chance he will take it.

There is lots to like about Southampton, things are promising after their huge win at Aston Villa. They are much better away from home and Chelsea may be the latest team to realise that.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (9/1 with Sky Bet)

• Six Appeal: Thommo's Super scorelines

Four Super 6 rounds in 12 days!

FREE TO PLAY: Do not miss your chance to land the £250,000 jackpot for the fifth time over the festive period.