Chelsea for the title?

Chelsea moved to within a point of the Premier League summit with their impressive 2-0 win over Southampton on Super Sunday.

Eden Hazard and Diego Costa were on target as Antonio Conte’s side clinched a fourth consecutive Premier League victory at St Mary’s Stadium.

The Blues are emerging as serious title contenders. Here, we look at some of the reasons why they could go the distance…

The system works

A change of formation has been the catalyst for Chelsea’s recent improvement. Since switching from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-3 after their 3-0 defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, the Blues have won all four of their Premier League games without conceding a single goal.

It’s the system Conte has used throughout his coaching career, and it’s taken no time for Chelsea’s players to adapt. Defensively, the back three of Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta are afforded plenty of protection by Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante, and there’s added support from wing-backs Macros Alonso and Victor Moses.

“We’ve worked hard on the shape the manager’s brought and we’re getting the rewards,” said Cahill afterwards. Opponents are struggling to create openings against Chelsea’s packed defensive ranks. Southampton only mustered one shot on target at St Mary’s, and the run of four consecutive clean sheets highlights Chelsea’s new-found solidity.

“Conte got them well-drilled,” said Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness. “They sit in and defend their box. They have a lot of players who are good at defending in the air and on the ground.”

The new system has also unlocked Chelsea’s attacking potential. The Blues are lethal on the break and clinical in front of goal. They beat Manchester United 4-0 despite having just 43.9 per cent of the possession, and they recorded a similar figure against Southampton. Souness described their first-half display at St Mary’s as a “masterclass in counter-attacking football”. Southampton won’t be the last team who struggle to contain them.

Hazard back to his best

Hazard has been the biggest beneficiary of the change of formation. The Belgian grew disillusioned on the left flank last season, but he has been given licence to roam in the new system and he doesn’t have to worry about defensive responsibilities. According to Opta, his average position has been even more advanced than Costa’s in three of …

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