CHELSEA KEPT THEIR faint Premier League title hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Southampton.
With runaway leaders Manchester City in action against Tottenham Hotspur later on Saturday, the focus turned to the clubs desperately trying to hang onto their coat-tails.
At Stamford Bridge, Antonio Conte’s side sealed their second successive win to move within 11 points of City and draw level on points with second-placed Manchester United, who face West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
After a tame opening from the champions, who started with star striker Alvaro Morata on the bench following a back injury, the Blues finally opened the scoring in first-half stoppage-time.
Marcos Alonso provided the breakthrough, the Spanish wing-back curling a free-kick past flat-footed Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster from 35 yards.
Chelsea have won eight of their last 10 league matches, but City remain out of reach for now.
Elsewhere, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Glenn Murray missed a penalty in his team’s 0-0 draw against high-flying Burnley at the Amex Stadium.
Murray won a first-half penalty when he was fouled by James Tarkowski, but the Brighton forward couldn’t take advantage as he blazed the spot-kick high over the crossbar.
Huddersfield Town thrashed 10-man Watford 4-1 to record their first away win since the opening day of the season.
Elias Kachunga scored Huddersfield’s first away goal since August, poking home after Watford failed to clear a sixth-minute corner.
Congolese striker Kachunga was stretchered off soon after, but the Terriers doubled their lead through Aaron Mooy’s close-range finish in the 23rd minute.
A bad afternoon for Watford got even worse when Troy Deeney was sent off by referee Michael Oliver for a lunge on Collin Quaner in the 33rd minute, making it three red cards in their last three games.
Laurent Depoitre bagged Huddersfield’s third in the 50th minute before the visitors had Jonathan Hogg sent off for a second booking.
Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure got one back with a powerful 68th-minute strike, but Mooy’s 89th-minute penalty wrapped up the points.
- © AFP 2017
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