Chelsea thrashed hapless Southampton 4-0 on Tuesday, with goals coming from all over the pitch, to move up to fourth in the Premier League and leave their visitors trailing at the foot of the table.

The victory lifted the west Londoners to 46 points, two clear of Manchester City and Newcastle United, who travel to Tottenham Hotspur and leaders Liverpool respectively on Wednesday.

Southampton's 22nd defeat of the season leaves them 13 points adrift of safety, while Chelsea's win keeps their hopes of Champions League football next season alive.

Without an out-and-out striker due to injury to Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea struggled for goals and needed both their defenders and forwards to step up.

They were in control from the outset, however, and within a minute of Aaron Ramsdale saving Cole Palmer's shot with his feet, Christopher Nkunku tapped in at the back post after defender Tosin Adarabioyo's corner.

France striker Nkunku then turned provider with a neat pass to Chelsea's Portuguese winger Pedro Neto, who unleashed a powerful left-footed shot between Ramsdale and the near post.

Central defender Levi Colwill made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time, heading in a free-kick from Neto, before Spain wing-back Marc Cucurella converted a pinpoint pass from 19-year-old substitute Tyrique George on 78 minutes.

Chelsea had lost four of their previous five games in all competitions to drop to seventh in the table.

"We all needed that," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told broadcaster TNT. "We were in a bad run in terms of results ... The club needed that. We are happy."

One disappointment on an otherwise morale-boosting night for Chelsea was the form of their talismanic Palmer, who again failed to capitalise on good chances and endured a frustrating seventh game without a goal.

But Maresca said Palmer would be fine. He had seen other players go through difficult periods in their careers.

"We are all former players. All of us went through some bad moments. You cannot expect Palmer to be like he was last season or how he was in the first part of the season. It's normal. He is human.

"It's about how you react. Keep working, keep laughing, keep calm, be happy and enjoy the football. It's the only thing you have to do," Maresca said.