Chelsea 4 - 0 Southampton

Chelsea 4-0 Southampton

Updated: May 1, 2004, 5:07 PM UK

Chelsea took a giant step towards pipping Manchester United for second place in the Premiership behind champions Arsenal by routing Southampton 4-0 - but only after being spurred into life by a huge slice of luck against the battling Saints.

Claudio Ranieri's men struggled to break down Paul Sturrock's defensively-minded team until the 59th minute when England youth captain Martin Cranie - making his Premiership debut thanks to the club's injury crisis - headed an own goal.

• Ranieri: Everything is still possible

That sparked a collapse by Southampton and Frank Lampard struck twice in the space of eight minutes before Glen Johnson came off the bench and completed the romp with a goal four minutes before the end.

With United surprisingly beaten at Blackburn, Chelsea go to Old Trafford next weekend with a four point cushion over Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

Not only did Chelsea go into this game without a win in their last five games, they also had failed to score in their previous two matches at Stamford Bridge.

That was almost put right after 13 minutes when Cranie lost possession to Eidur Gudjohnsen just outside the area and he flashed a fierce drive inches wide of Antti Niemi's left post.

There was a nervous moment for Chelsea after 17 minutes when Saints won a free-kick 25 yards from goal, just left of centre.

James Beattie hit a low curling drive beyond the wall and Carlo Cudicini - back in goal after an 11-match absence with a hand injury - spilled the ball at the near post. Kevin Phillips tried to make it first to the rebound but was just beaten by Mario Melchiot.

Joe Cole was denied again after 28 minutes following a corner on the right. From Geremi's cross Robert Huth laid the ball off to him on the edge of the box and his rising shot was well tipped over by Niemi.

Higginbotham was lucky to escape conceding a penalty after 31 minutes following a rash tackle on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The big defender caught the Dutch striker just inside the box, but referee Paul Durkin and his assistant got it wrong by awarding a free-kick just outside the area rather than the penalty it should have been.

Kenton was playing out of his skin and came to Southampton's rescue again after just 90 seconds of the restart.

Hasselbaink beat the offside trap and looked certain to score as he ran into the box, but Kenton made up ground to get in a brilliant block tackle.

The home fans were almost left completely silent after 58 minutes when Terry's header back towards goal fell short and Phillips tried to lob Cudicini, but the Italian was able to make the catch.

That proved something of a turning point as Chelsea enjoyed a huge slice of luck to take the lead after 59 minutes from an own goal.

Gronkjaer chipped in a near post corner from the right and Cranie knew little about it as he headed the ball past Niemi at the near post.

Chelsea almost let Southampton back into the game after 75 minutes but Cudicini came to the rescue with a point blank save to deny substitute Brett Ormerod.

It was another turning point as Chelsea broke away, Gudjohnsen saw his shot blocked and Lampard followed up to fire the ball home.

Saints crumbled in the final stages and Lampard helped himself to a second goal after 84 minutes.

This time Niemi blocked Hasselbaink's shot and the England midfielder followed up to stroke home the rebound.

It became a romp as Glen Johnson came off the bench and added a fourth after 86 minutes with his first touch after Gudjohnsen pulled the ball back from the right.

Having rediscovered their scoring touch, Chelsea must overturn a 3-1 deficit when Monaco arrive at Stamford Bridge for the Champions League semi-final, second leg, on Wednesday.

Ranieri: Everything is still possible

Claudio Ranieri praised his players for opening up a four-point gap on Manchester United in the race to finish runners-up to Premiership Champions Arsenal and said: 'Now it is in our hands.'

'The four-point gap is important because everything now is in our own hands,' said coach Ranieri.

'If we lose at Manchester United and beat Leeds we get second place, so today has been a great result for everybody.'

Chelsea had gone five games without a win and had drawn their previous two home games 0-0, and they struggled to break down a resolute Saints defence until the 59th minute when teenager Martin Cranie headed an own goal.

'In our last five matches we didn't lose our focus or our performance but we were unlucky in front of goal, hitting the post and bar and everything else,' said Ranieri.

'Today we made a mistake and gave them a chance to score and then we went up the other end and scored and own goal - that is football, it is crazy, fantastic.

'It was important to score because after that Southampton had to open up and that gave us more space.

'It was a good performance, four goals, all my players are in good condition and now we are ready to try and take our final chance. We must give our best performance and Monaco must do their worst, but everything is possible.'

Saints boss Sturrock criticised his team's passing, but said it had been a difficult week as he has now lost six first team players for the rest of the season through injury.

'It has been a very difficult week for Southampton - it was like Emergency Ward 10 for the players,' said Sturrock. 'I felt it was appropriate to look at different systems and players, which is why we played 3-5-2.

'Playing 4-4-2 hasn't worked for us and for 60 minutes we were generally okay. But we were crab-like, moving backward and sideways, and we should have been more positive because the pressure is off us in terms of relegation.

'I am very disappointed with our passing, we lost our way. People were slow on the ball and negative with their passing.

'Having said that, I take the blame for the scoreline because at 1-0 I threw on two wingers and went for it rather than hold on for a 1-0. That's what happens when you leave yourself open against quality players.'