Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match between Premier League leaders Chelsea and Southampton at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have rarely had the chance to play before their closest challengers Tottenham Hotspur in recent weeks, but victory tonight would see them put the pressure on their London rivals when they face in-form Crystal Palace tomorrow night. Southampton will be keen to put another dent in the hosts' title hopes, though, and this one is by no means a foregone conclusion tonight. Let's start with a look at the team news...

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Fabregas, Diego Costa, Hazard

CHELSEA SUBS: Begovic, Ake, Terry, Chalobah, Willian, Pedro, Batshuayi

SOUTHAMPTON STARTING XI: Forster; Cédric, Stephens, Yoshida, Bertrand; Romeu, Davis, Ward-Prowse, Tadić, Boufal; Gabbiadini

SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Hassen, Caceres, Clasie, Hojbjerg, Long, Redmond, Rodriguez

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, the headline news comes from the Chelsea camp as both Eden Hazard and Diego Costa return to the Chelsea starting lineup having been left on the bench from the start for the FA Cup win over Tottenham on Saturday. The duo were always expected to come back in tonight, despite Costa having struggled for a bit of form of late. The Spain international has failed to score in his last five Premier League games - his longest drought in league competition since a run of six for Atletico Madrid from December 2012 to January 2013.

Costa has been stuck on 49 Premier League goals for all of that time now, and will be desperate to finally bring up the half-century tonight. He has a good record against Southampton too having been directly involved in a goal in each of his last three Premier League games against the Saints - including scoring in the reverse earlier this season. Hazard was also on the scoresheet in that match, and he has already equalled his personal best tally of 14 Premier League goals for a season during what has been a brilliant campaign for the Belgian.

Hazard has only once scored more league goals in a single campaign - netting 20 for Lille in the 2011-12 season - and his form has been particularly impressive here at Stamford Bridge. He has directly contributed to 14 goals in his last 17 Premier League home games, scoring 11 and creating another three in that time. Alongside Hazard and Costa in that front three tonight is Fabregas, with Pedro and Willian both dropping to the bench despite the latter scoring twice in the win over Spurs.

The other big news for Chelsea comes in defence as Gary Cahill returns after receiving treatment for gastroenteritis last week, replacing Ake in the starting XI tonight. It is more or less a full-strength side for the hosts, then, with Fabregas in for the Pedro being the only change from the team we have been most used to seeing from Conte this season. Newly-crowned PFA player of the year N'Golo Kante is amongst that once again, playing for the first time since winning the award tonight.

As for Southampton, their big team news is the return of Oriol Romeu, who is likely to come up against Kante on numerous occasions tonight. The former Chelsea man returns to Stamford Bridge tonight and is straight back into the side after missing the last two games through suspension. He has arguably been Southampton's player of the season this year, and manager Claude Puel even suggested that he is not too far short of Kante's quality in the middle of the park - one of the highest compliments you could pay to a midfielder at the moment.

Romeu's return is one of two changes made by Puel from the side that lost to Manchester City 10 days ago, with the midfielder replacing Hojbjerg in the side. Nathan Redmond also drops to the bench for tonight's match as record-signing Sofiane Boufal is handed a rare start. Boufal is yet to show his best form since his summer move to St Mary's and Puel admitted recently that he is struggling for confidence, but he does possess that ability to be a match winner.

Leading the line for the Saints tonight is Manolo Gabbiadini who, unlike Boufal, really did hit the ground running upon his arrival at the club. The Italian scored six times in his first four matches for Southampton following his January move, but an injury slowed that lightning start and he has now failed to find the back of the net in his last two games - still not exactly a worrying drought but not the pace he set himself in the early days either.

The likes of Tadic and James Ward-Prowse will look to help Boufal and Gabbiadini to breach what has been a leakier Chelsea defence than usual tonight, but arguably the more important area is in defence and trying to stop the mercurial talents of Hazard and co. Puel has named an unchanged back four to attempt that, including a return to Stamford Bridge for former Chelsea man Bertrand, while Forster once again starts in between the sticks.

Southampton do have plenty of quality in that team, then, but Chelsea will still fancy their chances of doing the business today and easing any growing concerns regarding their lead at the top of the table. It looked for a long time as though there would be no slip-ups from Antonio Conte's side, such was the relentlessness of their form, but defeats to Crystal Palace and Manchester United in recent weeks have just handed a bit of hope to Spurs ahead of the final six games of the season.

The title race is still very much in Chelsea's hands with a four-point lead, but considering that was a 10-point advantage at the beginning of this month it would also be too early to say that the race is over either. Tonight does give Chelsea a rare chance to play before Spurs and extend that lead back up to seven-points before Pochettino's side take on in-form Crystal Palace tomorrow night, and a Chelsea win would certainly test Tottenham's mettle following Saturday's FA Cup semi-final defeat.

It was suggested that the winner of that semi-final at Wembley would gain the psychological edge in the Premier League title race and, even if the impact of a win either way was being a little overstated in terms of how it would affect the league form, for Chelsea to have halted Tottenham's winning run having rested their two main attackers is sure to have some impact. At the very least, it should restore any ailing confidence in the Chelsea camp following those defeats to Crystal Palace and Manchester United - the latter of which saw them fail to have a single shot on target in the league for the first time in a decade.

Chelsea have now lost as many games this month as they had in their previous six months of action having been beaten just twice in their previous 23 league outings before April - winning a whopping 19 of those. Conte has only ever lost three matches in one month of a top-flight campaign once before, while in charge of Atalanta in November 2009, while Chelsea as a club have not suffered that fate since October 2015 under Jose Mourinho, when one of their defeats was at home to Southampton.

Almost as worrying for Conte as his side's dip in form will be their relatively poor defensive record in recent weeks. Chelsea have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 Premier League games, which makes for their worst run since a 13-game streak in December 1996. The Blues had boasted the best defensive record in the division before that, helped by 12 clean sheets in the space of 16 prior to this current run, which has now been going on for more than three months.

Somewhat surprising for a team that have been so dominant for the majority of the season, Chelsea also 'only' have the third best home record in the Premier League this season having amassed fewer points than both Tottenham and Everton in front of their own fans. Of course, there are plenty of teams who would swap their own home records for Chelsea, Southampton included, but it is perhaps not quite as good as you might expect. Having said that, the Blues have only lost twice here across all competitions this season, winning the other 17 of their 19 outings.

Incidentally, Chelsea make that tricky trip to Everton in their next game after this one, but after that they look to have an easier run-in than Spurs. The Blues must still face Middlesbrough, West Brom, Watford and Sunderland - in addition to tonight's game and Sunday's against Everton - before the end of the season, and three of those come here at Stamford Bridge. Spurs, by comparison, must still take on Arsenal, West Ham, Manchester United, Leicester and Hull after their game against Crystal Palace tomorrow night.

On paper, Southampton come into this match with very little left to fight for this season. The best position they can realistically aspire to now is eighth place, with four points separating them from West Bromwich Albion but then 17 between themselves and the top seven. A top-half finish will be considered the minimum requirement for the Saints now, although it is very crowded in that part of the table with only four points separating them in ninth and Burnley in 16th.

Southampton do have the edge over their nearest rivals, though, boasting at least two games in hand over the majority of the teams around them in the table. With a nine-point gap to the bottom three and three games in hand over 18th-placed Swansea there doesn't appear to be any looming danger of relegation, particularly after Southampton reached the 40-point mark with victory at West Bromwich Albion a couple of weeks ago, but Puel will not want his side's season to peter out.

There should still be a few opportunities for Southampton to pick up more points between now and the end of the season, but while the Saints could have a say on the Premier League title battle tonight, they may well have an even bigger part to play in the Champions League races before the campaign is over. Southampton must still take on Liverpool away and both Arsenal and Manchester United at home, in addition to games against Hull, Middlesbrough and Stoke.

That is a fairly tricky run-in for Claude Puel's side, particularly when you consider their record against teams in the upper echelons of the table this season. Southampton are winless in eight matches against top-five opposition this term, taking just two points from a possible 24 in that time. Their record away to teams in the top seven is unsurprisingly even worse, meanwhile, with one draw and four defeats in those games.

Southampton have actually not been that bad on the road this season, though, picking up 18 points on their travels compared to just 22 at home. If only away form counted this season then the Saints would be sitting eighth in the Premier League table, whereas they only boast the 15th best home record. They have scored more goals away from home too, although it should also be noted that half of their away points for the entire season have come in their last four away games.

The Saints have won three of their last four league outings on the road, which is one more than they managed in their first 12 of the season - a major improvement in recent weeks. It is a similar story in all competitions too - Southampton have won four of their last seven away matches in league and cup having managed only three wins in their opening 16 of the campaign. Victory at Stamford Bridge would no doubt top the lot, though.

Home and away, Southampton have won four of their last seven league outings to push them over the line and keep them at arm's length of danger when it looked as though they could be dragged into a relegation battle at one point. Before that recent improvement Southampton had lost six of their previous seven league games, and they tally of four victories in their last seven is the same as they had managed in the 17 before that. The only teams to beat Southampton in that time have been Tottenham and Manchester City, though, so the Saints still struggle against the elite teams in the division.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Stamford Bridge, which means that it is time for a prediction! Chelsea have shown their first real signs of wobbling in recent weeks, but that win in the FA Cup should steady a few nerves and it is difficult to see them slipping up again tonight. A win would mean a lot more to the hosts than it would to Southampton, so I'm going for a 2-0 Chelsea triumph!

Chelsea have not always found things particularly straightforward against Southampton here at Stamford Bridge, winning only three of their last eight league home games against the Saints. They have only lost one of the last seven too, but that defeat came in the corresponding fixture last season when Southampton came from behind to win 3-1, with Davis, Mane and Pelle all on the scoresheet after Willian's opener.

It is still Chelsea who have enjoyed the better of this fixture down the years, though, losing just two of their last 16 meetings across all competitions. They have won nine and drawn five of those stretching back to 2002 as well, while they have at least scored a goal in 15 of their 17 previous Premier League home games against Southampton.

The reverse fixture between these two sides in October also went the way of Chelsea, and it was their big-hitters that did the business on that occasion with Hazard and Costa both on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win. Hazard gave the visiting Chelsea a lead after just six minutes in that game before Costa doubled it in the early stages of the second half.

Right, the players are on their way out and we're almost ready to go here. It could be another big night as far as the title race is concerned, and I'm sure there is almost as much interest in this one from the North of London as there is from the West of it tonight.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! Chelsea get us underway at Stamford Bridge!

Very nervous start for Chelsea in defence as Azpilicueta fails to deal with a cross into the box and then both he and Luiz leave it for each other. Gabbiadini almost nips in, but is ultimately crowded out and Courtois gratefully drops onto the ball.

Romeu may be Southampton's best bet of stopping Hazard tonight, but the first duel between the pair is easy for the Belgian as he skips past him like he isn't there. The attack comes to nothing, but that looked sharp from Hazard.

SAVE! Good work from Southampton as they catch Chelsea out with a free kick that sees Stephens nip in at the back post, but he doesn't get enough on his volley and it is easy for Courtois.

Ruthless. One attack, one sight of goal and Chelsea have a 1-0 lead. It is no surprise to see Hazard get it either and he drills a low finish right into the bottom corner after being teed up by Costa. The striker burst in behind the defence before cutting back and laying it off for the Belgian, whose first-time finish could hardly have been more precise.

That is exactly what Chelsea would have wanted tonight - an early goal to settle any nerves. Southampton had actually made a pretty bright start, but Hazard is not in the mood to let any opportunities through his grasp at the moment.

After such a disappointing season, the Belgian is very much back at his best now...

15 – Eden Hazard has scored 15 Premier League goals this season, his best return in a campaign in the competition. Fame. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 25, 2017

Chelsea are beginning to gain control of this match now and they look sharp and on their game. Southampton know that the next goal is likely to be pivotal tonight.

Chelsea win their first corner of the night and it is eventually pulled back towards the edge of the box, but it splits Luiz and Kante and rolls through to relative safety.

Claude Puel will not be too upset with how his side have started this match, despite them trailing after that early Hazard goal. The visitors have settled quickly and shown one or two signs of being able to threaten, but their one lapse has been punished.

Southampton have actually enjoyed 61% possession in the 10 minutes since the goal, so it has been a decent response from the Saints. They knock the ball around nicely on their way into the penalty area here, but perhaps attempt one pass too many and it is eventually cleared.

CHANCE! Another chance for Hazard to make it two for the evening already, and again it is Costa who sets him up. The striker just cushions the ball into his path as it arrives at his feet and Hazard finds himself with only the keeper to beat, but he curls his effort high and wide of the target when he would have expected to do better.

Costa and Hazard have started this match as though they have a point to prove after being left out of the starting XI at the weekend. Hazard has the goal, but it is notable that Costa has shown no real signs of selfishness either despite his wait for a goal.

The ball arrives into Costa feet in the box and the Spain international tries to just flick it around his marker before collecting it the other side, but his first touch is just a little too heavy. That was not an easy one for the striker, but he almost pulled it off.

Good pressure from Southampton, who keep Chelsea penned back deep in their own half during a prolonged spell of possession. A few crosses arrive in the Chelsea box, but each one is dealt with by the hosts.

Southampton are back in it, and Chelsea's wait for a Premier League clean sheet extends to 11 games! It is Romeu who scores on his return to Stamford Bridge, and he will not care that it is a scrappy one! A corner is flicked on by Azpilicueta at the front post, and that takes it all the way to Gabbiadini at the back post. The Italian tries to sneak a shot in from a tight angle but, when falling over, he can't get enough power on it to beat Courtois. The Chelsea keeper's save bounces straight to Romeu, though, and he bundles it over the line from close range.

Not a bad time or place to do it!

507 - Oriol Romeu has scored his first Premier League goal since 5th December 2015 (vs Aston Villa) - 507 days ago. Response. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 25, 2017

Southampton are worthy of that equaliser - they have more than matched Chelsea over this opening half an hour or so and, with the exception of the odd moment from Hazard and Costa, the hosts have not shown much going forward either. They have a game on their hands here!

Southampton are keeping the ball really well tonight. Chelsea are trying to press and win the ball back at every opportunity, but the visitors have been calm under that pressure and are controlling fairly sizeable chunks of this game.

Chelsea's early goal went a long way to easing any tension in the air at Stamford Bridge, but it has certainly returned after that Southampton goal. Chelsea are not at their best at the moment and have gone right off the boil since that early goal.

Southampton win a free kick in a good crossing position but Courtois flies out to punch it clear. It goes all the way back to Forster, who hammers it back upfield and Gabbiadini looks to have got in behind Luiz, only for the referee to blow for a foul against the Southampton striker.

SHOT! Much more like it from Chelsea as Kante makes a sensational burst down the right flank, skipping past three defenders on his way into the box only to see his cross just about dealt with by Stephens. The ball drops back to Costa, who goes down under the challenge of Davis but is told in no uncertain terms by referee Lee Mason that he is not getting a penalty for that. Eventually the pressure eases momentarily as Matic fires a deflection effort wide.

This time it is Hazard who tries his luck from range, but he doesn't catch it sweetly enough and it is never seriously troubling Forster. This is much better from the hosts, though.

Southampton have a really good chance to break after a Chelsea free kick as Boufal steals the ball off Kante. He has two teammates bursting forward, but his pass gives Azpilicueta the chance to intercept and deal with the danger.

YELLOW CARD! Southampton win a free kick in a very good position, but the yellow card is for a foul moments before when Kante went in late and hard on Davis. No complaints there.

Ward-Prowse goes for goal with the free kick, but the wall does its job and the ball deflects behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Chelsea once again fail to deal with a Southampton corner and it is knocked back down into a very dangerous area. It bounces across the face of goal to Boufal, who lashes it into the side-netting at the far post.

Another chance for Chelsea as Hazard jinks back onto his right foot brilliant, using that low centre of gravity to great effect. He opts against going for goal himself, though, instead trying to roll it across for Costa, which allows the Southampton defence to clear the danger.

There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.

Big goal for Chelsea just before half time, and it is the returning Cahill who gets it! An initial corner comes to nothing, but Chelsea hoists the ball back into the box and Alonso towers over his man at the far post to nod it back into the middle. Costa is lining up an acrobatic effort, but Cahill gets there first with a header of his own to steer it into the corner. Stamford Bridge erupts!

Lee Mason brings an end to the first half, then, and Chelsea will be feeling decidedly better about themselves now than they were just a minute before the half-time whistle. The hosts lead 2-1 at the interval and, while they haven't had things all of their own way so far tonight, as things stand they are heading seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

The opening goal arrived after just five minutes as Eden Hazard and Diego Costa came up with the perfect response to being dropped to the bench for the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham on Saturday. Costa ran in behind before laying the ball back for Hazard, who drilled a precise first-time finish across goal and into the bottom corner.

Southampton responded very well to falling behind, though, and they were level less than 20 minutes later when Oriol Romeu scored against his former club. It was a scrappy goal, with Romeu poking the ball over the line after Courtois had denied Gabbiadini at the back post, but Antonio Conte will be unhappy with his side's defending. A number of defenders failed to cut out the ball before it arrived to Gabbiadini at the back post, and they ultimately paid for that.

Chelsea were out of sorts for much of the half, but they ensured that they would go into the break ahead by regaining the lead in stoppage time of the first half. Cahill showed great desire to get his head to the ball inside the box, nodding Alonso's header into the bottom corner with the last meaningful action of the half.

KICKOFF: Southampton get us back underway for this second half.

Claude Puel would have surely asked his players for more of the same in this second half. That Cahill goal was harsh on the visitors, but they have fought back once and will fancy their chances of doing so again based on that first-half performance.

YELLOW CARD! Fabregas joins Kante in the book for a mistimed challenge on Romeu.

Good break down the right from Southampton as Tadic released behind the Chelsea defence. He tries to pull the ball back for Boufal, but Cedric gets his foot to it first and wastes a decent opportunity.

Chelsea have a third, and Costa finally has his 50th Premier League for Chelsea! Hazard sparks the move in motion by darting past his man before dropping the ball back for Fabregas, who clips a lovely cross into the middle. Costa is waiting there and shows good strength to hold off Bertrand before nodding the ball past Forster to end his five-game drought.

That goal also saw Fabregas move above Frank Lampard in terms of all-time Premier League assists, incidentally. The Spaniard now has 103 to his name in the English top flight, and Ryan Giggs is the only player with more.

SAVE! Courtois is called into a rare piece of action here as Tadic looks to whip a low strike into the far corner, but the Chelsea keeper gets down to tip it past the post.

Southampton have a little more than half an hour to try to get back into this one, but it is a big ask for the visitors. That Costa goal gives Chelsea a cushion, and they rarely throw leads like this away.

YELLOW CARD! Romeu goes into the book for a scything challenge on Fabregas.

Chelsea are looking a lot more comfortable now than they were in the first half - amazing what a couple of goals can do for you! The fans are full of voice too as they tick closer and closer to moving seven points clear.

SAVE! Another save for Forster to make as Alonso drives a powerful effort towards goal, but it is straight at the Southampton keeper and he makes a simple save.

Southampton are chasing shadows at the moment. The visitors kept the ball really well in the first half but right now they are struggling to get their foot on it. Chelsea are cruising here.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: The visitors make their first change of the evening as Nathan Redmond replaces Boufal.

Ward-Prowse whips a free kick into the box which is difficult for Luiz to deal with while facing his own goal, but he manages to flick it behind for a corner.

CHANCE! Yet again Chelsea are unable to deal with a corner which goes all the way across the face of goal and again picks out Gabbiadini unmarked at the back post. Once again the Italian tries to squeeze it in from a tight angle, but this time he can only put it into the side-netting.

Half a chance for Chelsea as Costa and Hazard somehow bundle their way into the box despite both being surrounded by Southampton defenders. Costa eventually gets something resembling a shot away, but it lacks the power to really trouble the keeper.

YELLOW CARD! Tadic picks up a cheap yellow card for throwing the ball into the ground after not getting a throw-in from the officials.

Just 15 minutes remaining in this match and, while one goal for Southampton would make for an interesting finale, it is very hard to see Chelsea throwing this one away now. This has been a test for them, but it looks like being a test that they will pass.

CHELSEA SUB: The hosts make their first change of the night as Pedro replaces Fabregas.

Better pressure from Southampton as they look to give themselves a slice of hope late on, but once again Chelsea repel the pressure. With the exception of corners, Chelsea have defended well tonight.

Speaking of poor defending from corners, another chance comes via that route for Southampton at the ball drops to Davis. He powers his effort towards goal, but it is blocked before it can test the keeper.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Chelsea to add a fourth, and there would not have been a more popular scorer than Kante. Hazard leads the counter-attack before laying the ball off for the newly-crowned PFA player of the year, but Forster makes a very good save with his arm as Kante tries to chip the ball over the keeper.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: The Saints make their second change of the night as Shane Long replaces Ward-Prowse.

CLOSE! Chelsea keep on pushing for that fourth goal as Pedro tries his luck, but he fires his effort narrowly off target.

CHELSEA SUB: One of the biggest cheers of the night greets John Terry as he comes on in place of Moses.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: Southampton also make a change in the closing stages as Jay Rodriguez replaces Gabbiadini.

Brilliant from Chelsea. The hosts get their fourth goal of the night, and this is the best of the lot as Costa doubles his personal tally for the night. Costa exchanges passes with Hazard and then Pedro on his way into the box before firing his finish past Forster.

CHELSEA SUB: The hosts make their third and final change in the wake of that goal as Willian replaces Hazard.

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.

Southampton grab a late consolation and it is another Chelsea player who gets it as Bertrand soars in front of Cahill to glance Cedric's cross into the bottom corner. It is a brilliant header, but it won't earn the Saints any points tonight.

A big, big win for Chelsea then as they take another step towards the Premier League title by moving seven points clear of Tottenham Hotspur. They did not have things all their own way and were fortunate to take a 2-1 lead into half time after Gary Cahill's header had put them back in front. Romeu had earlier cancelled out Hazard's early opener, but it was Diego Costa who proved to be the match-winner with a second-half brace that made Ryan Bertrand's stoppage-time header a mere consolation for the Saints.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Chelsea put the pressure on Tottenham with a 4-2 win over Southampton that increases their last at the top of the table to seven points again. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps too. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!