Madueke snubs boss Maresca and confirms Chelsea's title ambitions after obliteration of Southampton

By Alessandro Schiavone at St Mary's

Southampton FC 1-5 Chelsea

Goals: Disasi, Nkunku, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho (C), Aribo (S)

As much as Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is playing down their title ambitions for this season, yesterday’s 5-1 obliteration of Southampton was a further marker laid down in their quest for the unthinkable.

And one of the Italian's star players even went as far as telling Capital Football after the game that the club is “up for it”.

After last season's horror campaign, the Blues keep pushing the boundaries in their bid to give heavy title favourites Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City a run for their money.

A great night turned into a perfect one when the west Londoners found out that Arne Slot's men were pegged back by Newcastle late on, which reduced the gap to solelyseven points with 75 still up for grabs.

Free-flowing and with a swagger reminiscent of the good old days, Chelsea were just too good for bottom side Southampton. And it took Axel Disasi only seven minutes to nod home Enzo Fernandez’s near-post corner. But Joe Aribo, teed up Kyle Walker Peters, put the Saints back on track with a cool finish four minutes later.

Yet ex-QPR goalkeeper Joe Lumley, who was fourth choice at the start of the season, played a wayward pass to Walker-Peter’s which was intercepted by Noni Madueke whothen tied up Christopher Nkunku to roll into an empty net.

The former Hoops gloveman redeemed himself when he repelled PSV Eindhoven one-timer and Palmer twice. And was lucky when Tobin Adarabioyo’s glancing header crashed off the crossbar before Joao Felix dragged a lame effort wide minutes later.

But the game was all but up by the time Madueke curled home Chelsea’s third which was followed by Jack Stephen’s being sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair just before the interval.

Two goals and a man down, it was now damage limitation for Saints.

And after Filip Jorgensen produced an excellent save with his leg from Mateus Fernandes, Chelsea went on to score another two through Palmer and Jadon Sanchez with the ex-Dortmund star netting his maiden goal for the club with a sumptuous effort into the top corner late on.

While things are looking increasingly desperate for Southampton, Chelsea are a force to be reckoned with in the four-team title race.

And Madueke said as much to this outlet after the game.

He said: “It was good fun, great fun. Playing in the Premier League is always fun and it’s even better when your team wins and you can contribute. 

“We’re very happy, the results are reflecting the performances more. We look like a more serious team in a lot of the games this season, a team that is there to put teams away and win games comfortably. 

“We’re really happy with the progress we made. We have a great coach with great ideas, it’s credit to the manager and the players. 

“If we can win the Premier League? Of course we’re up for it, whether we’re in it or not is a different question.

"We take every game as it comes and try to progress. We’re focused on ourselves really to try and improve.”