“Willing to make runs” – Paul Merson singles out Chelsea star as positive from Southampton defeat

Despite Chelsea's disappointing defeat to Southampton at home on February 18, pundit Paul Merson found a silver lining in the form of Raheem Sterling's return. He revealed his admiration for the winger's performance, highlighting his energy and determination in a challenging game.

The former Arsenal player told Sky Sports News (via TheChelseaChronicle):

“Sterling came on, different game. Sterling was willing to go the other way, willing to make runs… He had two good chances both off the line."

Despite dealing with injury setbacks this season, Sterling was able to make an impact after coming on as a half-time substitute for the Blues. The attacker injected some much-needed energy into their forward line, creating few opportunities to level the score.

Unfortunately, Chelsea's inability to take their chances demonstrated their lack of form in front of goal in recent games.

Yet another disappointing result befell Chelsea with their defeat to Southampton, their season riddled with inconsistency and lackluster form. Breaking the deadlock just before the interval was James Ward-Prowse, whose trademark free-kick sealed the fate of the match.

Captain Cesar Azpilicueta's head injury only added to the Blues' woes, as he had to be stretchered off during the second half.

After their defeat, the Blues find themselves in a precarious predicament, their chances of a European finish gradually diminishing with each result. Graham Potter's side still sit in 10th place in the Premier League table, having mustered a mere three points in their last four league matches.

Their midweek loss to Borussia Dortmund in the last-16 of the UEFA Champions League will only worsen things for the side.

Tensions will be mounting for Chelsea as they prepare to face their rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a highly anticipated match next Sunday (February 26).

Despite the promise of this fixture, the Blues have been struggling lately and their future appears to be in the balance. Their hopes of a successful season of any sort are already waning, casting a cloud of uncertainty over the remainder of the season.

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Chelsea boss Graham Potter discusses the Southampton defeat

The Blues manager has had to deal with boos and shouts of criticism in recent weeks due to the team's abysmal form. Speaking to the press, Potter revealed that he understood the angry supporters and could sympathize with them (via Express):

“After a 1-0 defeat at home, any criticism you get is understandable. We've had a tough period and are integrating young players into the Premier League. When results don't go your way it's tough. I'm not arrogant enough to say that their opinion isn't worth articulating."

The Blues are winless in their previous five games across competitions.