Chelsea have a first shot in anger and it takes a deflection off the back of Jack Stephens to prevent the goal being threatened.

It's Callum Hudson-Odoi on the edge of the box. He shapes to shoot but shifts the ball and makes space for a clear strike, only to cannon one off the back of Stephens for a corner.

Good play and good defending.

A nice ball from the left side by Ryan Bertrand as he tries to split the Chelsea defence. Michael Obafemi can't get on to it but Jorginho has to intercept right on the edge of the area to stop Che Adams getting on to it.

That's a bit better from the away side in the Chelsea half at least, you can't fault what they've done defensively so far.

Not a thriller then. So what did you have for Christmas?

James Ward-Prowse tried to bend a ball into the corridor of uncertainty but there's a bit too much on it and no Southampton player makes a run.

Steve Wilson
Match of the Day commentator at Stamford Bridge

The onus is on Chelsea to work a way through.

Hudson-Odoi, into N'Golo Kante, Hojberg intercepts.

Willian gets on it again and is sent crashing to the ground with a fair tackle.

Southampton rebuff the home side again and the ball goes back to halfway.

We're 12 minutes in and Tammy Abraham and Nathan Redmond have not registered a touch according to Opta.

Oh, hang on, Redmond has a couple of touches on halfway. He's off and running.

No pace in the game, Tomori, Jorginho and Zouma link at the back for Chelsea as they try to get something moving.

Willian with another flick on which gets cut out but the ball bobbles around and N'Golo Kante can cross from the right... a poor one. Hacked clear by the first man.

Timid stuff.

Steve Wilson
Match of the Day commentator at Stamford Bridge

The scrappier Southampton can keep it the happier Ralph Hasenhüttl will be.

Chelsea finally string a few passes together but Willian gets a bit clever on the edge of the box as his lay-off finds no one.

Southampton break and swing a cross in from the left flank but it's headed clear. Hopefully things are settling down a touch as that's the first bit of football we've seen.

A reminder that Chelsea have four defeats in six league games coming into this one. Southampton in contrast have lost just two of their last six.

One of the scrappiest openings you'll see this season with the ball pinging around like a pin ball. Southampton have a throw up near the Chelsea area and they work the ball back to the halfway line.

Image source, .

What's this? A Stamford Bridge wobble?

Two defeats out of three you say and a team arriving who have just chalked up their own first away win since September at Villa.

Pools panel says away win? Surely not...

I can't quiet get my head around why Danny Ings would be left out today - 11 league goals makes him the second-highest scorer in the top tier behind Jamie Vardy.

Scrappy opening so far with neither side string a pass or two together. Michael Obafemi and Che Adams are trying to make it stick up front for the away side but neither side has reached the final third yet.

Southampton get us going and win an early throw. Che Adams gets nudged to the deck near the touchline but there's nothing doing.

Image source, .

This is a bit of a strange one for me. Chelsea have lost two of their last three games at home and yet Southampton leave Danny Ings on the bench - they've brought in two new strikers.

Chelsea make three changes, notably Callum Hudson-Odoi is in.

And we're off and running...

Image source, .

The players break out from the line-ups, Chelsea in blue, Southampton in black and yellow.

Chelsea not in great form despite a win last time out, Southampton in slightly better shape based on the last six fixtures.

Anyway, more on that to come, some teams next...

Steve Wilson
Match of the Day commentator at Stamford Bridge

Southampton's win at Villa Park on Saturday took them out of the bottom three and was their first away league win in three months. This is the club's third season in a row battling relegation - and whilst it is a battle I think they'll win, it does suggest that something needs to change at St Mary's - and not the manager.

Chelsea were always likely to suffer ups and downs with so much responsibility being given to players with so little top-flight experience - and that's been true over the last four weeks.

Having lost to West Ham, Everton and Bournemouth, they were absolutely terrific at Spurs.Frank Lampard has done better than anyone could have hoped with his kids - now they are able to sign players again, he must tread a careful path in the January transfer market.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea and Southampton have met four times on Boxing Day, most famously 20 years ago when the Blues became the first Premier League side to name a starting XI without a single British player (in a 2-1 win at The Dell).

Remember the uproar that day? How would this impact on British football? Was this a sign of things to come? We're all still here and the world hasn't fallen off its axis so it can't have been that bad.

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender

Chelsea's problem this season has been consistency and Southampton will make things difficult for them but, after beating Spurs, I don't think they will follow that up by dropping points here.

Prediction: 2-0

See all of Lawro's predictions right here.