

Jannik Vestergaard headed in a dramatic injury-time equaliser as Southampton pegged back Chelsea to claim a point in a Premier League thriller at Stamford Bridge.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side looked to be heading for defeat but Danish defender Vestergaard was in the right place to flick home a Theo Walcott shot from the edge of the area.
Chelsea were in control at 2-0 up through two superb Timo Werner goals – the first courtesy of a sublime dummy which bamboozled Jan Bednarek before drilling in, and the second as he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and nodded home.
When it looked like the hosts were cruising, Southampton hit back as Danny Ings went round keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to finish and Che Adams punished dire Chelsea defending to smash home an equaliser.
The Blues responded just 121 seconds later with Werner sliding the ball across the box for compatriot Kai Havertz to convert an easy finish which seemed to be the winner, but Vestergaard’s late effort sealed a draw.
Chelsea’s defensive frailties prove costly
Despite a top-four finish last season, the problems for Frank Lampard’s side were obvious – weak at the back, they paid a heavy price for their frailties against Southampton.
Chelsea conceded 54 goals last term, more than any other team that finished in the top 10, but a heavy spending spree in the summer invested more in attacking additions than defensive reinforcements.
The experienced Thiago Silva, brought in on a free after leaving Paris St-Germain, missed out and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy suffered an injury on international duty with Senegal.
It meant the error-prone Kepa Arrizabalaga was back in goal and his contribution for Southampton’s second goal was far from impressive, but he could do nothing about their equaliser.
The home side failed to capitalise on champions Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Everton earlier on Saturday, with them missing out on the chance to go second and instead staying sixth.
But while they work on resolving their backline problems, they will have no problems going forward with the fire power they possess.
Prolific striker Werner looked like heading to champions Liverpool but the transfer did not materialise and he showcased why Chelsea were quick to pay £54m for the RB Leipzig man.
Werner, who scored 34 goals last season, was a constant menace for the Saints backline, his low centre of gravity allowing him to shift left and right, bringing about the first goal.
He had his back to goal a long way, but his step-over and dart left Bednarek trailing and, despite having work to do with three defenders and the goalkeeper in attendance, Werner slipped a cool finish into the bottom corner.
Werner caused problems for the same defender for the second goal, holding off the towering Bednarek from Jorginho’s raking pass, calmly lofting the ball over the advancing McCarthy and heading in from close range.
Chelsea’s dangerous trio of attackers combined for the third as Christian Pulisic found Werner’s run into the box and he moved it on for Havertz’s first league goal.
With Hakim Ziyech making his debut off the bench in the final 18 minutes, as well as the options of Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud and Callum Hudson-Odoi available to Lampard, Chelsea will not have problems scoring goals.
It is at the back where they remain most vulnerable.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Chelsea
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga
Average rating2.95
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Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
Average rating4.24
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Squad number4Player nameChristensen
Average rating3.66
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Squad number15Player nameZouma
Average rating3.63
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Squad number21Player nameChilwell
Average rating5.08
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Squad number5Player nameJorginho
Average rating4.72
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Squad number7Player nameKanté
Average rating5.29
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Squad number10Player namePulisic
Average rating5.31
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Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Average rating5.86
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Squad number19Player nameMount
Average rating4.84
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Squad number11Player nameWerner
Average rating7.21
Substitutes
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Squad number9Player nameAbraham
Average rating3.79
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Squad number22Player nameZiyech
Average rating4.55
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Squad number24Player nameJames
Average rating4.19
Southampton
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameMcCarthy
Average rating6.88
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Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
Average rating7.35
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek
Average rating6.83
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Squad number4Player nameVestergaard
Average rating7.73
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Squad number3Player nameBertrand
Average rating7.17
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Squad number32Player nameWalcott
Average rating7.74
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Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse
Average rating7.47
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Squad number6Player nameOriol Romeu
Average rating7.29
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Squad number11Player nameRedmond
Average rating7.13
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Squad number10Player nameAdams
Average rating7.67
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Squad number9Player nameIngs
Average rating8.40
Substitutes
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Squad number7Player nameLong
Average rating7.00
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Squad number23Player nameTella
Average rating6.92
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Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Average rating6.82
Line-ups
Chelsea
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4Christensen
- 15Zouma
- 21ChilwellBooked at 48mins
- 5Jorginho
- 7Kanté
- 10PulisicSubstituted forJamesat 87′minutes
- 29Havertz
- 19MountSubstituted forZiyechat 72′minutes
- 11WernerSubstituted forAbrahamat 90′minutes
Substitutes
- 9Abraham
- 13Caballero
- 14Tomori
- 18Giroud
- 20Hudson-Odoi
- 22Ziyech
- 24James
Southampton
- 1McCarthy
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35Bednarek
- 4Vestergaard
- 3Bertrand
- 32Walcott
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 6RomeuBooked at 84minsSubstituted forDialloat 87′minutes
- 11RedmondSubstituted forTellaat 77′minutes
- 10AdamsSubstituted forLongat 86′minutes
- 9Ings
Substitutes
- 5Stephens
- 7Long
- 14Obafemi
- 18Valery
- 23Tella
- 27Diallo
- 44Forster
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Chelsea 3, Southampton 3.
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Second Half ends, Chelsea 3, Southampton 3.
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Attempt missed. Theo Walcott (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ibrahima Diallo.
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Kurt Zouma.
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Goal! Chelsea 3, Southampton 3. Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Theo Walcott following a set piece situation.
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Attempt missed. Theo Walcott (Southampton) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Reece James (Chelsea).
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Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Tammy Abraham replaces Timo Werner.
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Foul by Kurt Zouma (Chelsea).
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Shane Long (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Reece James replaces Christian Pulisic.
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Substitution, Southampton. Ibrahima Diallo replaces Oriol Romeu.
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Substitution, Southampton. Shane Long replaces Che Adams.
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Kai Havertz (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ryan Bertrand (Southampton).
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Oriol Romeu (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Oriol Romeu (Southampton).
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Attempt saved. Danny Ings (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Theo Walcott.
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