Ryan Bertrand v Cesar Azpilicueta: How the defenders compare ahead of Sunday

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How do the Southampton and Chelsea full-backs compare statistically ahead of Sunday afternoon’s clash at Stamford Bridge?

Chelsea selling Ryan Bertrand to Southampton was a move that made sense for all parties.

The player was happy, the Saints were getting a defender they both wanted and needed – and the Blues offloaded an extra name on the wage bill.

Whether the 25-year-old could still have done a job at Chelsea remains open to debate; but he is certainly doing his job at Southampton.

And, ahead of Sunday afternoon’s clash between his current and former sides at Stamford Bridge, a look at how he compares with Cesar Azpilicueta makes for interesting reading.

Indeed, as Opta stats show, the Spaniard is a far stronger tackler than the Southampton man. When it comes to interceptions, however, Bertrand averages marginally more per game – and the same when it comes to headers.

But Azpilicueta is once again the superior with regards to clearances per game.

It is going forward in which Bertrand is in his element, though, outshining the Chelsea defender in every one of the above key areas.

The 25-year-old is a solid crosser of the ball and creates more chances per game, entering the final third more and completing marginally more final-third passes.

Let’s see who makes the stronger impression on Sunday…