Alonso extends Chelsea's home run
Chelsea has won five Premier League games in a row at home after Marcos Alonso's free-kick downed Southampton.
Marcos Alonso's stunning free-kick earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory against Southampton in the Premier League, extending his team's winning home league run to five straight games.
Although the scoreline suggests a tight match, the defending champion dominated throughout and could have won far more comfortably had Fraser Forster not performed as well in the visitors' goal, while Eden Hazard had a strike ruled out for a marginal offside against substitute Cesc Fabregas.
The win moves Chelsea level on points with second-placed Manchester United, which travels to West Bromwich Albion on Monday (AEDT), while Southampton, which dropped Virgil van Dijk, is now winless in five Premier League matches.
Chelsea was on top throughout the first half at Stamford Bridge, with Forster making multiple saves and a Pedro effort deflecting on to the post.
The impressive Alonso broke the deadlock just before half-time, though, bending a delightful free-kick into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards out for his fourth goal of the season.
Charlie Austin had two fine chances to level the scores after the 62nd minute but could not find a way past Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, whose saves secured a fourth successive Premier League victory over Southampton for the Blues.
Southampton rang the changes after a 4-1 loss at home to Leicester City last time out and created the first opening, Chelsea captain Gary Cahill clearing a dangerous low cross from former Blues full-back Ryan Bertrand at the second attempt.
Willian burst into the box in the 14th minute thanks to a sublime one-two with Alonso, but the Brazilian sliced a presentable opening wide of the upright.
Forster punched away an Alonso volley and the goalkeeper then made saves from Cahill and N'Golo Kante shot as Chelsea cranked up pressure.
Terrific wing play from Willian created another opening for Alonso after 32 minutes, but Forster got down quickly to push the Spaniard's arrowed strike around his right-hand post.
Chelsea continued to exploit weakness down Southampton's right after Cedric Soares's 17th-minute exit because of injury, Pedro cutting inside but seeing his shot deflect onto the woodwork.
On the stroke of half-time, Chelsea scored the goal its dominance deserved. Hazard's driving run was ended by Maya Yoshida, with Alonso stepping up to beat Forster with a dipping effort from the resultant free-kick.
In-form Austin almost scored moments after his introduction as a second-half substitute, but the striker was denied by Courtois after running on to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's pass.
Hazard, who was playing as a false nine, thought he had scored his side's second, lashing the ball home after a one-two with Fabregas, but a raised offside flag saw the goal disallowed.
Forster saved another effort from Alonso in the 71st minute and the goal-hungry defender then headed a Willian cross wide after substitute Alvaro Morata fired straight at the Saints keeper.
Courtois denied Austin again, the striker slipping at the vital moment and failing to get power on his poked effort, before Fabregas squeezed an effort narrowly wide from a tight angle after a cleverly taken quick free-kick.
Austin turned James Ward-Prowse's right-wing cross off target with five minutes to play as Southampton pushed for an equaliser, but Chelsea clung on for maximum points.
