TAKUMI MINAMINO became the first opposing player to score against Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
But Danny Ings’ intervention in the wrong penalty area ultimately stopped the Saints from ending the German’s unbeaten start.
Southampton were leading through Minamino’s first-half goal against the run of play when Ings brought down Mason Mount, who equalised from the penalty spot.
Jannik Vestergaard later hit the bar but the home side will be grateful to have halted their poor run of six consecutive Premier League defeats.
Tuchel’s run of wins in the league stopped at four because his side were unable to turn their domination of much of the game into goals.
The only goal they had conceded previously was the one Toni Rudiger put into his own net against Sheffiefld United.
Despite Minamino’s strike, the Blues’ problems were at the other end of the pitch.
Chelsea were much the better team before Southampton scored, but they too often failed to find the right pass after breaking the Saints’ press.
The only exception came as early as the sixth minute when Reece James picked out fellow wing back Marcos Alonso with a cross, but the Spaniard volleyed wide.
The Blues paid dearly when the home side took the lead with their first attack.
Minamino had been lightweight and ineffective until then, but the way he took Nathan Redmond’s pass, sat Cesar Azpilicueta down like a schoolboy and jabbed home with the outside of his foot, was sheer class.
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Chelsea finally worked Sains goalkeeper Alex McCarthy when an offside-looking Kurt Zouma met Alonso’s free kick with a powerful header.
But it was the visitors’ only meaningful effort on target despite their domination of the first 45 minutes.
Tuchel replaced Tammy Abraham with Callum Hudson-Odoi at half time and moving the ball more quickly soon brought its reward for the Blues.
Hudson-Odoi found Mount in the box, Ings made a rash challenge and Mount picked himself up to stroke home the penalty.
Southampton rallied and the game became more even. Vestergaard almost put them back in front when his header from a Redmond cross hit the bar, with Edouard Mendy well beaten.
Hudson-Odoi seemed to be Chelsea’s most dangerous player but not in Tuchel’s eyes, who hooked his own substitute.
But the Blues seemed to lose momentum and James’ off-target half-volley was the closest they came to a winner.
