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Chelsea maintains pressure at the top after slaying Southampton
Southampton, Nov 23: Chelsea win 1-0 at Southampton to keep up pressure at top of Premiership.
Southampton, Nov 23: Chelsea win 1-0 at Southampton to keep up pressure at top of Premiership.
A rare goal from Chelsea's Dutch defender Mario Melchiot was enough to give them maximum English Premiership points in a hard fought 1-0 win at Southampton. The result means Chelsea keep in touch with Arsenal and Manchester United at the top of the Division against a Southampton side who may soon be losing manager Gordon Strachan, who has been linked recently to the vacancy at Leeds United. The home team started the strongest, with French teenager Leandre Griffit going closest with a shot just wide of Carlo Cudicini's post on his first Premiership start. Chelsea were ahead only two minutes after the break when Melchiot started off and finished a slick passing move also involving Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Three minutes later it should have been Hasselbaink's turn, but he badly miskicked in front of goal from a Wayne Bridge cross.
Then it was Southampton's turn to waste chances when first Kevin Phillips headed across the goal when it would have been easier to score and then Fabrice Fernandes shot narrowly wide of the Chelsea post with only three minutes remaining.
English league soccer standings after matches played on Saturday: P W D L F A Pts 1. Arsenal 13 10 3 0 28 10 33 2. Chelsea 13 10 2 1 27 9 32 3. Manchester United 13 10 1 2 25 8 31 4. Charlton Athletic 13 6 4 3 20 16 22 5. Birmingham City 13 5 5 3 11 11 20 6. Newcastle United 13 5 4 4 19 18 19 7. Fulham 12 5 3 4 22 18 18 8. Manchester City 13 5 3 5 22 18 18 9. Liverpool 13 5 3 5 18 14 18 10. Southampton 13 4 5 4 10 8 17 11. Portsmouth 12 4 3 5 17 16 15 12. Middlesbrough 13 4 3 6 11 15 15 13. Bolton Wanderers 13 3 6 4 11 19 15 14. Everton 13 3 4 6 15 17 13 15. Leicester City 13 3 3 7 20 22 12 16. Tottenham Hotspur 12 3 3 6 11 16 12 17. Blackburn Rovers 13 3 2 8 18 24 11 18. Aston Villa 12 2 5 5 9 15 11 19. Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 2 4 7 8 26 10 20. Leeds United 13 2 2 9 11 33 8
Bureau Report
A rare goal from Chelsea's Dutch defender Mario Melchiot was enough to give them maximum English Premiership points in a hard fought 1-0 win at Southampton. The result means Chelsea keep in touch with Arsenal and Manchester United at the top of the Division against a Southampton side who may soon be losing manager Gordon Strachan, who has been linked recently to the vacancy at Leeds United. The home team started the strongest, with French teenager Leandre Griffit going closest with a shot just wide of Carlo Cudicini's post on his first Premiership start. Chelsea were ahead only two minutes after the break when Melchiot started off and finished a slick passing move also involving Frank Lampard and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Three minutes later it should have been Hasselbaink's turn, but he badly miskicked in front of goal from a Wayne Bridge cross.
Then it was Southampton's turn to waste chances when first Kevin Phillips headed across the goal when it would have been easier to score and then Fabrice Fernandes shot narrowly wide of the Chelsea post with only three minutes remaining.
English league soccer standings after matches played on Saturday: P W D L F A Pts 1. Arsenal 13 10 3 0 28 10 33 2. Chelsea 13 10 2 1 27 9 32 3. Manchester United 13 10 1 2 25 8 31 4. Charlton Athletic 13 6 4 3 20 16 22 5. Birmingham City 13 5 5 3 11 11 20 6. Newcastle United 13 5 4 4 19 18 19 7. Fulham 12 5 3 4 22 18 18 8. Manchester City 13 5 3 5 22 18 18 9. Liverpool 13 5 3 5 18 14 18 10. Southampton 13 4 5 4 10 8 17 11. Portsmouth 12 4 3 5 17 16 15 12. Middlesbrough 13 4 3 6 11 15 15 13. Bolton Wanderers 13 3 6 4 11 19 15 14. Everton 13 3 4 6 15 17 13 15. Leicester City 13 3 3 7 20 22 12 16. Tottenham Hotspur 12 3 3 6 11 16 12 17. Blackburn Rovers 13 3 2 8 18 24 11 18. Aston Villa 12 2 5 5 9 15 11 19. Wolverhampton Wanderers 13 2 4 7 8 26 10 20. Leeds United 13 2 2 9 11 33 8
Bureau Report