The Saints ran out 2-1 winners in the same
fixture last season, but the Blues got revenge
last time out and have renewed motivation after
beating title rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
Chelsea lost at
Southampton last season
and captain John Terry
has warned it can ill afford a repeat at St Mary's
on New Year's Day.
Mauricio Pochettino's Southampton started the
season in fine form, but it has now dropped
down to ninth after winning just one of its last
eight Premier League games.
Chelsea beat fellow title hopefuls Liverpool on
Sunday to make it three wins in its last four
top-flight games and it is now third, just two
points behind leaders Arsenal.
The London club has already beaten
Southampton 3-1 at Stamford Bridge this term,
but Jose Mourinho's side had to come from
behind after Jay Rodriguez scored just 15
seconds into the game at the start of December.
Terry scored in that victory, and the skipper was
also on target at St Mary's last season, but his
goal was in vain as the home side ran out 2-1
winners.
And the former England center back has seen
enough of Pochettino's charges to know his side
must not be taken lightly as he targets another
Premier League title.
"It's going to be tough because they're very
good at home and it proved a difficult game
here (Stamford Bridge) when they scored pretty
early," Terry told Chelsea's official
website. "They are a good footballing side, very
much like Liverpool, who try and play out from
the back so we're expecting a tough game."
Chelsea boss Mourinho will be without Frank
Lampard (muscular injury), Branislav Ivanovic
(knee) and Marco van Ginkel (knee) for the trip
to the south coast.
David Luiz also misses out as he serves a one-
match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card
of the season in Sunday's 2-1 win over
Liverpool, but Ramires returns from a
suspension of his own.
Southampton has not won at home since easing
to a 4-1 victory over Hull City on November 9
and Pochettino knows they will be up against it
in their first game of 2014.
"It's clear that Chelsea are a top side, a great
team. They have great, talented players. We
learned a lot from that game (at Chelsea). It
was a very competitive game and it's going to
be another competitive game against them this
time around," he said. "There are many factors
that happened during that game to balance the
end result of the game. We know them well and
we’re more than aware that we’re going to be
facing a very tough team."
Striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (illness) will be
monitored ahead of the game, but goalkeeper
Artur Boruc (hand), midfielder Victor Wanyama
(fractured leg) and striker Guly do Prado (knee)
will not feature.
Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin will return after
missing Sunday's defeat at Everton through
suspension.
source-goal.com

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What time is the match?

front page na,na new year b dis,make una we be moderator no dull me abeg

steve 00: What time is the match?

no worry chelsea dey draw alreday