Frank Lampard did not enjoy the cold turkey. After the euphoric high of the victory at Tottenham another crushing home defeat was hard to swallow.
Southampton came with a plan, followed it to perfection beat Chelsea for the first time in 10 attempts thanks to goals by Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond.
It continued the festive revival for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team and Saints have eased a little further clear of relegation peril.
Nathan Redmond clips the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga to double Southampton’s lead on a dream afternoon for the Saints
Redmond celebrates with substitute Danny Ings and forward Che Adams, with the away supporters jubilant at the Bridge
Michael Obafemi celebrates scoring the opening goal at Stamford Bridge, with an accurate left-footed finish beyond Kepa
The forward scored his first Premier League goal of the season during his eighth league appearance for the Saints
For Lampard’s young team, however, it marks a third defeat in four Premier League home games in the Premier League.
They have been beaten by West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton without scoring a goal.
‘You can’t have near on 70 per cent of possession and control and not do more,’ fumed Lampard. ‘Not hit better crosses, not hit better final passes, not get more clear chances at goal.
‘We have to work. Players have to go one-v-one. If you’re an offensive player, play around the corner, join, mix up your game and break defensive lines because teams aren’t stupid. They are well organised.
‘People are coming here and respect us as Chelsea because they are setting up in that way but we are not playing like the Chelsea that can break that down.’
Hasenhuttl plotted their downfall without top scorer Danny Ings who started on the bench in order to keep him fresh for Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace.
Little wonder the Austrian felt able to bask in the applause of the jubilant away fans after the final whistle.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was a figure of frustration throughout as his side struggled to create clear openings
Southampton boss Ralph Hassenhuttl barks out instructions to his players in a first-half where his team frustrated Chelsea
It has been a torturous first half of the season for Saints, humiliated 9-0 at home by Leicester in October and deep in relegation peril.
Suddenly, here they are after four wins in six games and their confidence levels restored.
‘We played Chelsea off the park,’ said midfielder James Ward-Prowse.
They defended deep and in numbers at Stamford Bridge and they set out to frustrate Chelsea and stop them finding a rhythm.
Ryan Bertrand was booked for time-wasting with less than half an hour on the clock and the game still goalless.
But Southampton broke out of defence with great pace and purpose and scored two wonderful goals.
The first a delicious curling shot by Obafemi after Callum Hudson-Odoi had been crowded out and dispossessed on halfway.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg swept a pass forward to the teenage striker who slipped away from Fikayo Tomori and accepted the invitation from Kurt Zouma who backed off and allowed him to go for goal.
Hasenhuttl performed a celebratory jig on the touchline.
Chelsea winger Willian, who scored twice against Tottenham on Sunday, battles for the ball with James Ward-Prowse
Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham was feeding off scraps in the first-half and his lacklustre performance continued after the break
Chelsea improved in the second half when Lampard sent on Mason Mount and reverted to a back-four.
They played at a healthier tempo and Mount linked up with Tammy Abraham but they did not create clear openings and Saints remained solid and proved even more dangerous on counter-attack.
Tomori made a vital sliding recovery intervention to deny Che Adams and Kepa Arrizabalaga made a splendid low save to deny Redmond.
It was Redmond who extended the lead with a finish from close range following a long passing sequence and an inadvertent assist from N’Golo Kante as he tried to win the ball from Stuart Armstrong.
‘This was by far the best performance of the season and the best since I’ve been here,’ said Saints boss Hasenhuttl.
‘We deserved to win and were so committed and brave on the ball and the second goal was what we always talk about – to stay cool and play from deep at the right moments.
‘It was really an unbelievable performance from my team. We have gone from playing like a relegation team to playing like a Premier League team.’
Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga tends to Callum Hudson-Odoi after the winger suffers a nasty fall from winning the ball
Former Chelsea player Ryan Bertrand wins a header in the air with Hudson-Odoi challenging the Saints player for possession
