Chelsea moved up to the top four in the Premier League after a convincing 4-0 victory over Southampton at Stamford Bridge, pushing the visitors closer to relegation.
Before the match, about 200 Chelsea fans protested against the club's ownership outside the stadium, but the tensions eased as Enzo Maresca's team scored three goals in the first half, securing only their third win in 11 league matches.
Christopher Nkunku scored his 14th goal of the season, Pedro Neto added a crucial goal to boost his confidence, Levi Colwill headed in a third, and Marc Cucurella completed the scoring with a finish from Tyrique George's assist.
The only downside was Cole Palmer's inability to score, extending his goalless streak to seven games despite having several good opportunities.
Southampton started brightly, with Paul Onuachu missing a chance to score after finding space in Chelsea's box early in the game.
Chelsea fans were frustrated with their team's slow start, urging more movement and initiative against the bottom-placed team as goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen often held onto the ball with limited options.
Chelsea eventually broke the deadlock from a corner, with Nkunku scoring after a flick-on from Tosin Adarabioyo.
Despite some nervy moments, Chelsea doubled their lead through Neto's powerful strike, and Colwill extended the lead before halftime with a brave header.
In the second half, Palmer missed another chance to score, while Cucurella made it 4-0 for Chelsea with a precise finish past the Southampton goalkeeper.