Asmir Begovic: 'Chelsea badly need international break'

Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has admitted that the international break has come at a good time for Chelsea as the Blues' season took another turn for the worse on Saturday.

The Premier League champions suffered a demoralising 3-1 defeat by Southampton at Stamford Bridge in a result that leaves them 10 points behind leaders Manchester City.

It was their fifth defeat of the season in all competitions, and Begovic concedes that a two-week break may not be such a bad thing under the circumstances.

"Hopefully this break comes at a good time, we get a result in the next game and drive on from there," he told the club's official website. "When things are not going your way it's tough.

"It's a mental thing as well, we need to keep fighting...run through a brick wall, as they say.

"That's the way it goes when results don't go your way, confidence takes a hit. That's life, that's football. You go through your ups and downs."

Willian fired the hosts into a 1-0 lead over the Saints, but an equaliser from Steven Davis, along with two second-half efforts from Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle, saw them complete the comeback.

Chelsea lost 3-1 at Everton in their first game back after the previous international break last month. They host struggling Aston Villa in West London on October 17.