The Blues wasted no time asserting ourselves, with Reggie Walsh breaking the deadlock just eight minutes in. Kiano Dyer then doubled our advantage before the break, netting his first goal of the season following his January return from loan, sending Chelsea into the interval 2-0 ahead.

Harrison Murray-Campbell, in fine form, added a third early in the second period. Although Southampton pulled a goal back through a deflected strike from Brandon Charles, we responded immediately when captain Shumaira Mheuka produced a stunning effort from an indirect free-kick to restore the two-goal cushion.

The visitors continued to press and managed a late strike deep into stoppage time through Sufianu Sillah Dibaga, but it proved insufficient to unsettle Chelsea’s dominant performance. The victory capped an impressive week for the Under-21s and propelled us to the top of the Premier League 2 table.

Quick start

Chelsea began brightly on home soil, applying immediate pressure and making it clear from the outset that we meant business.

The first sight of goal came inside the opening five minutes when Murray-Campbell tested his luck from just outside the area, drilling a low effort that rolled narrowly wide of the post.

The Blues did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, which arrived in style through midfielder Walsh. A slick passage of forward play saw him receive the ball on the edge of the box before curling an unstoppable effort into the bottom corner, leaving Southampton goalkeeper Hansel Adjei-Afriyie with no chance and giving us a deserved early lead.

Southampton tried to respond immediately. A whipped cut-back from Princewill Ehibhatiomhan found Romeo Akachukwu in space inside the area, but with only Max Merrick to beat, the forward lifted his effort over the crossbar. It was a let-off for the Blues and a sign of the contest’s early intensity.

We went close again approaching the half-hour mark from a well-worked short corner. Leo Cardoso played the ball to Landon Emenalo, whose clipped delivery into the box found Jesse Derry. The forward rose highest, but could only glance his header just wide.

Moments later, the Blues were left frustrated as Derry went to ground under pressure while driving into the penalty area. Despite strong appeals from the home side, the referee waved play on.

Southampton then enjoyed a brief spell of pressure late in the half, forcing Merrick into a key intervention. After the visitors worked the ball into the box, Barnaby Williams fired a close-range effort, but our keeper reacted sharply to rush off his line and smother the danger.

Double trouble

The action quickly shifted to the opposite end, and this time the Blues made it count.

Derry’s excellent work out wide saw him drive into the penalty area and unleash a low strike on target. Although Adjei-Afriyie reacted well to parry the initial effort, Dyer was quickest to follow up, smashing the rebound home from close range to send Chelsea into the break 2-0 ahead.

The second period started with the same intensity as the first. Under-21s captain Mheuka looked to add his name to the score sheet, bursting into the penalty area with pace and clever footwork, but his driven effort rolled just wide of the far post.

Southampton had opportunities of their own. Akachukwu tested Chelsea from distance with a powerful strike that drifted narrowly wide, before Ehibhatiomhan came even closer moments later. His shot looked destined for the net, but Merrick reacted brilliantly to dive across his goal and tip the effort over the crossbar.

Blues strike again!

That pressure did little to unsettle the Blues, who soon found our third goal of the evening. A slick passage of team play saw Mheuka pick out Murray-Campbell on the edge of the area and the defender showed excellent composure to steer a precise finish into the bottom corner, making it two goals in as many games for the Blue.

Despite Chelsea’s control, the Saints eventually got on the score sheet through substitute Charles. A quick forward move saw Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh square the ball to Charles, whose strike deflected off a defender and sailed over Merrick into the net, making it 3-1 as the game entered its closing stages.

Mheuka's moment

With just a minute remaining, Chelsea added a fourth - and what a finish it was. From an indirect free-kick, skipper Mheuka stepped up following a simple lay-off from Derry and smashed a sublime effort in off the underside of the crossbar.

The referee added seven minutes of stoppage time, during which Southampton managed a late strike. Sillah Dibaga charged forward and found the bottom corner deep into injury time, but it proved too little, too late. The final whistle confirmed a 4-2 victory for the Blues, capping an entertaining performance.

What it means

Chelsea Under-21s now sit top of the Premier League 2 table, having played one more game than second-place Fulham a point behind us, and have recorded nine wins from 13 fixtures.

What is next

Chelsea Under-21s return to Premier League 2 action on Saturday 7 February as we host Blackburn Rovers at Kingsmeadow, with kick-off at 2pm. Tickets are available for the game, with free entry for Chelsea season ticket holders (men’s and women’s), members and under-20s. General admission is priced at £4.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Max Merrick; Genesis Antwi (Kaiden Wilson 79), Harrison Murray-Campbell, Olutayo Subuloye, Landon Emenalo; Kiano Dyer (Ryan Kavuma-McQueen 79), Ollie Harrison (Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli 62), Reggie Walsh; Leo Cardoso (Dujuan Richards 62), Shumaira Mheuka (c), Jesse Derry
Unused sub: Freddy Bernal
Scorers: Walsh 8, Dyer 42, Murray-Campbell 66, Mheuka 89
Booked: Dyer 37, Murray-Campbell 76, Walsh 81

Southampton: Hansel Adjei-Afriyie, Tommy Dobson-Ventura (c), Moses Sesay, Princewill Ehibhatiomhan (Aston Daley 84), Romeo Akachukwu, Sufianu Sillah Dibaga, Barnaby Williams (Sutura Kakay 75), William Merry (Brandon Charles 66), Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Joachim Kayi-Sanda, Oscar Abbotson
Unused subs: Jayden Moore, Abdulhalim Okunola
Scorers: Charles 73, Sillah Dibaga 90+7
Booked: Dobson-Ventura 70, Sesay 79