Chelsea had been flying after their victory at Tottenhamon Sunday, which felt like a defining moment for Frank Lampard and the evolution of his young team. This was a crash back down to earth, further evidence of a maddening inconsistency.
![Chelsea stunned after Nathan Redmond wraps up vital win for Southampton](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2474543eb26a473cac906ffb5e6119771274a676/0_346_5184_3110/master/5184.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=5c8eebcc31a8f3f658cbed66e8c3f964)
Southampton’s win was perfectly judged and entirely merited, ignited by a special first-half goal from the 19-year-old Michael Obafemi and driven by their second-half threat on the break. Nathan Redmond scored the goal that made the points safe – he was a thorn in Chelsea’s side – but this was a team triumph, built on the firm central defensive contributions of Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek. The midfielders, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and James Ward-Prowse, were also excellent.