Chelsea vs. Southampton: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Chelsea and Southampton both entered the weekend sitting inside the top five of the Premier League table and within striking distance of leaders Arsenal. These are the type of matches that will have a lasting impact on the race for European spots as well.

The Blues are coming off a lackluster midweek performance in Champions League play against Basel. They failed to generate any type of consistent attacking presence and allowed Mohamed Salah to strike in the final minutes to earn the victory for the Swiss side.

Southampton face their second straight key EPL match. Last week, the Saints played pretty well against Arsenal on the road but couldn't find the net in a 2-0 loss. They need to create more scoring opportunities if they want a different result at Stamford Bridge.

Let's check out all the key information for the crucial league clash, followed by a closer look at the top storyline and a match prediction.

Where: Stamford Bridge in London, England

When: Sunday, Dec. 1, at 11:10 a.m. ET (4:10 p.m. GMT)

Watch: NBC Sports Network and Sky Sports 1

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Match Forecast (via Bloomberg Sports)

Chelsea: 53.7 percent

Southampton: 21.7 percent

Draw: 24.6 percent

Top Storyline: Can Chelsea Score a Home Win in the Marquee Matchup?

These are the matches Chelsea must find a way to win to capture the Premier League title. It won't be easy, especially with the type of defense Southampton have been playing, but Arsenal showed last week that breaking down that back line is possible with a sustained effort.

The biggest key is controlling the midfield. The Saints have been successful because they have surprisingly been able to outclass their opponents in the middle of the pitch, mostly thanks to the play of emerging star Adam Lallana.

Luckily for the Blues, they also excel in that area when in top form. The combination of Eden Hazard and Oscar is as dangerous as any midfield duo in the Premier League. This is one match where they will really be put to the test.

The other thing Chelsea must be aware of is the Southampton counterattack. They have been terrific at taking advantage of mistakes by opponents and turning them into goals at the other end. After a sloppy showing against Basel, it's something the Blues must protect against.

Ultimately, the Saints are playing well, but they are still a team a title contender should take care of at home, as Arsenal showed last week. If Chelsea can bounce back from the midweek UCL loss with a better performance, they should be in good shape.

Prediction

It will be interesting to see how Southampton responds after what amounted to a reality-check loss last week. Few expected them to sit ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham, among others, at this stage, but they must continue to elevate their form if they want to stay in the European mix.

Chelsea are the more talented side, though. The Blues haven't been playing their best, which will likely lead to a close, hard-fought match. In the end, they should do just enough to score the narrow victory to be firmly in title contention as the halfway mark approaches.

Chelsea 2, Southampton 1