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Southampton, United States | AFP | Olivier Giroud hopes to have kickstarted his Chelsea career after coming off the bench to inspire an eight-minute turnaround from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Southampton on Saturday with his first Premier League goals for the club.
The French international striker has largely struggled to make an impact since his deadline day move from Arsenal in January, putting his place at the World Cup at risk.
“I’ve been through some difficulties in my career, but I always try to come back stronger and it happened today,” said Giroud.
WHAT A COMEBACK! ?#SOUCHE pic.twitter.com/HKhLzz1t7q
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 14, 2018
“The most important thing is to never give up, believe in our quality, play our game and I am proud of what we have done today.”
Defeat is another body blow to Saints’ chances of avoiding relegation as they remain rooted in the bottom three when for so long they seemed set for a first home win in the Premier League since November.
Dusan Tadic and debutant Jan Bednarek put the hosts in command, but Giroud struck either side of Eden Hazard’s equaliser to cut the gap on Liverpool and Tottenham in the fight for a top-four finish and Champions League football next season to seven points.
“As long as it is mathematically possible we will believe we can reach the top four,” added Giroud. “We have got five finals to play, after that we will see.”
The two sides will meet again in the FA Cup semi-finals next weekend, and Southampton will do well to raise themselves for cup glory with their place in the Premier League next season looking ever more precarious.
A sensational turnaround by the Blues! ?⁰
Three goals in nine minutes means we claim all the points on the South Coast today! ? #SOUCHE pic.twitter.com/rbttsYsP9w
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 14, 2018
“As has been the case all year apparently we’ve got a soft underbelly,” said Saints boss Mark Hughes, whose three Premier League games in charge have now all ended in defeats. “When the momentum shifts against us we can’t get a platform and wait until the momentum swings our way again.”
