Chelsea secured a much-needed victory, bouncing back from a three-game losing streak by defeating Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge, moving them into fourth place in the Premier League.
First-half goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Levi Colwill eased the tension in Stamford Bridge after a nervous start against the league’s bottom team.
Following the early goals, Chelsea maintained control, with Marc Cucurella adding a fourth goal, assisted by academy graduate Tyrique George, who came off the bench. It was a near-perfect evening for head coach Enzo Maresca, as favorable results elsewhere bolstered their hopes in the race for Champions League qualification.
However, Cole Palmer continued to struggle, failing to score despite having several excellent chances. He has not found the net in his last seven games.
After the match, Enzo Maresca shared what he told Palmer following the win over Southampton. He emphasized that every player experiences “bad moments” and that the key is how they respond.
Palmer appeared disappointed after the game, prompting Maresca to put his arm around him and have a brief conversation. When reporters asked what he conveyed to Palmer,
Maresca replied, “It’s quite simple. You’ve heard about former players who were once great and all went through challenging times. It’s normal. Just like a team, you can’t expect Cole Palmer to perform at the same level every game or throughout the entire season. It’s a part of normal life. He’s human, and he’s missing some opportunities right now; it’s all about how we react to that. So, I told him that. Everything is normal. He’s happy and okay.”
Chelsea’s victory secured fourth place in the Premier League standings, though they could slip to sixth if Manchester City and Newcastle United win against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, respectively, on Wednesday.
The Blues’ next match is against Copenhagen away in the UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 first leg on March 6.
