City blows golden chance to close in on Chelsea

December 29, 2014 12:25 am | Updated 12:25 am IST - LONDON:

WE DID IT! Burnley's Ashley Barnes (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring the equaliser against Manchester City. Photo: AP

WE DID IT! Burnley's Ashley Barnes (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring the equaliser against Manchester City. Photo: AP

Manchester City squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leader Chelsea when it let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to struggling Burnley on Sunday.

Chelsea stuttered to a 1-1 draw at Southampton and champion City looked poised to close the gap at the top to one point when it scored twice in the first half against Burnley, but Ashley Barnes lashed in an equaliser nine minutes from time.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris inspired his team to a feisty 0-0 draw with third-placed Manchester United and Arsenal climbed to fifth with a 2-1 win at London rival West Ham United.

Fourth-placed Southampton took a deserved 17th-minute lead against Chelsea, with Mane running clear of the defence to slot coolly past Thibaut Courtois at St Mary’s.

The visitors struggled to produce their usual fluent attacking play but equalised just before halftime when Eden Hazard brilliantly controlled a fine pass from Cesc Fabregas, cut inside and stroked the ball into the net.

Chelsea poured forward in search of a winner but was frustrated by well-organised Southampton which had midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin sent off in the closing stages after receiving a second yellow card.

Jose Mourinho’s team remains top of the table, three points ahead of City.

“I can believe Southampton defended with everything they have — with organisation, spirit and solidarity of players and the effort they fought to get the point,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.

“My players tried to win, especially in the second half.”

Manchester City, seeking a 10th successive win, eased into a 2-0 lead against Burnley thanks to first-half goals by Silva and Fernandinho but the visitors got a lifeline when George Boyd tapped in just after the interval.

Barnes struck with a sweet strike from 12 metres to level for Burnley which hung on for a welcome point in its bid to avoid relegation.

The results: Aston Villa 0 drew with Sunderland 0, Hull 0 lost to Leicester 1 (Mahrez 32), Manchester City 2 (Silva 23, Fernandinho 33) drew with Burnley 2 (Boyd 47, Barnes 81), QPR 0 drew with Crystal Palace 0, Southampton 1 (Mane 17) drew with Chelsea 1 (Hazard 45+1), Stoke 2 (Diouf 51, 66) beat West Brom 0, Tottenham 0 drew with Manchester United 0, West Ham 1 (Kouyate 54) lost to Arsenal 2 (Cazorla 41-pen, Welbeck 44), Newcastle United 3 (Papiss Cisse 34, Ayoze 51, Colback 68) beat Everton 2 (Kone 5, Mirallas 84).

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