Image source, Getty Images

The teams are in the tunnel, novelty Christmas hats are on, a quick selfie and we're nearly good to go...

• Chelsea have won each of their last three Premier League games against Southampton since losing 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in October 2015.
• Saints have kept one clean sheet in their last 24 league games against the Blues - a goalless draw in west London on Boxing Day 2002.

Antonio Conte has won 74.6% of his league matches as Chelsea head coach, the best record of any Blues boss.

Image source, .

Simon Brotherton
MOTD commentator

It didn't take Chelsea long to bounce back from last week's surprise defeat at West Ham, but Antonio Conte was realistic in his post-match assessment at Huddersfield.

You can't really lose four of your first 17 games and hope to retain the title against a competitor like Manchester City. Nonetheless, Chelsea are still in the Champions League and the top four of the Premier League after winning seven of their last nine league games.

I wonder which version of Southampton we'll see at Stamford Bridge? They came within a couple of minutes of beating Arsenal last Sunday, only to play so badly in losing 4-1 at home to Leicester on Wednesday that Mauricio Pellegrino was moved to apologise to the fans.

Image source, Reuters

More knitwear than you can shake a sheep at outside the Bridge this afternoon, but who's that lurking around on a flag to the left of the stall?

Diego Costa has moved on, but his replacement Alvaro Morata is only fit enough to make the bench today - meaning Eden Hazard plays the false nine (are we still using that!?) role for Antonio Conte's Blues.

As for these guys below, who - ahem- snows what's going on there?

Image source, Reuters

Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino:"Chelsea is a team where they don't need to dominate you too much to be dangerous.

"In counter-attacks they have players that can create their own actions. They can run 30 or 40 metres... It is a side where they are comfortable sometimes when they are deep.

"But it is a good opportunity for us because also we maybe have more space than normal."

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte: "We must be realistic. In the last nine games we won seven games, drew one and lost one - and the distance, the gap, improved for Manchester City.

"Time is moving on. They are continuing to win. Manchester City is building a strong team to lead in Europe and the world.

"To have these 15 wins in a row, also you must be lucky, because in many games they won at the last minute or five minutes to go."

Here's the Chelsea side, with just one change following the midweek win over Huddersfield as Gary Cahill returns in place of Antonio Rudiger.

Striker Alvaro Morata is on the bench, having missed Wednesday's win with a back injury, but there is still no place for Michy Batshuayi.

Image source, BBC Sport

Southampton make six changes to the side that lost 4-1 to Leicester last time out, with the Saints opting for an all-new front three of Manolo Gabbiadini, Nathan Redmond and Pierre-Emile Holjbjerg.

James Ward-Prowse, Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens are the others to come into the visitors' side today.

Image source, Getty Images

It's all getting a bit festive at Stamford Bridge, but of course, in the home end at least, there's not a red Santa hat in sight.

Chelsea seem to be in a race for second place, while Southampton need to fix up sharpish after a humbling defeat by Leicester last time out.

Let's have a look at how the teams line up today...