Chelsea put a terrible week behind them to return to winning ways in devastating style with a six-goal demolition of Southampton.
Having been beaten 4-1 at home to Brentford in the Premier League and then suffering a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid, Chelsea bounced back in a manner which will give Thomas Tuchel encouragement his side can salvage their Champions League tie in Spain next week.
Tuchel said before kick-off that "things are upside down" after two damaging results but his players responded by hitting the woodwork three times and scoring four in an astonishing first half at St Mary's Stadium.
Timo Werner hit the post and then headed against the bar inside the opening seven minutes before Marcos Alonso fired the visitors ahead after Mason Mount's assist.
England midfielder Mount's clean finish from outside the box doubled the lead and then Werner was thwarted by Fraser Forster's fine save as Southampton unravelled in front of their own fans.
Werner was soon celebrating his first Premier League goal for six months after bursting through and finishing before Kai Havertz made it 4-0 with a tap-in after Germany team-mate Werner hit the woodwork for a third time.
Southampton were blown away and it required a fine one-handed stop by Forster to prevent an own goal by Mohammed Salisu before half-time.
However, the Saints did concede a fifth in the 49th minute, Werner tapping home his second after N'Golo Kante had been thwarted.
Mount made it six from close range on an embarrassing afternoon for Ralph Hasenhuttl and his Southampton players.
Tuchel said afterwards: "It was a very good performance and a well deserved win. It is a tough stadium to come to but we made it look easy. In possession we were very focused so it's a very good performance and an excellent result.
"Straight away we looked forcused and determined to turn things around. We were hungry in challenges and we were always dangerous. We created a lot of chances to decide the match very early.
"We wanted to play with the same attitude but we have a lot of matches in the legs so we managed the game after that. It is easier when you lead than when you are down but it was a good mentality."
On Werner, he added: "He could have scored more. He had huge chances and a lot of chances. It was his favourite position against an opponent we knew we could find spaces in behind. It was for him to make a statement out of it which he did. He could have scored more but we are happy with his strong performance."
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