Chelsea’s week to forget ended with a day to forget on Saturday as their advantage at the Premier League summit was trimmed to five points by resurgent champions Manchester City.
– VIDEO: Luis Enrique – ‘Next few months are crucial for us’
– Made for big stage: Neymar’s progression into one of the world’s top players
– PLAY Stick Cricket World Cup
Tarnished by the incident this week that saw a group of the club’s fans prevent a black man from boarding a Paris Metro train while chanting racist songs, Chelsea were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by lowly Burnley.
Ben Mee claimed an 81st-minute equaliser for Burnley after Nemanja Matic had been sent off for lashing out at Ashley Barnes and City took full advantage by cruising to a 5-0 home win over Newcastle United.
On their pre-scheduled ‘Equality Day’, Chelsea took an early lead through Branislav Ivanovic, but after Nemanja Matic had been sent off for lashing out at Ashley Barnes, Ben Mee headed in an 81st-minute equaliser.
GOOL!! 81′ Mee !! Chelsea 1-1 Burnley #EPL #video https://t.co/kgsKuxu7IB
— Kumpulan Gol (@KumpulanGol) February 21, 2015
Chelsea also had three penalty appeals turned down and manager Jose Mourinho’s mood will not be improved if second-place City trim his side’s lead to five points by beating Newcastle United later on Saturday.
Ivanovic struck in the 14th minute, finishing from six yards after Eden Hazard had weaved his way through a posse of defenders on the Chelsea right.
It was the Serbian defender’s sixth goal of the season and his second in two matches following his equalising header in the 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in mid-week.
But the tide began to turn in the 70th minute when Ivanovic’s countryman Matic was sent off for shoving Barnes to the ground after the Burnley midfielder caught him on the shin with an ugly challenge.
Gilak. Matic incident. Chelsea are lucky to have him sent off, instead of stretchered off – horrendous tackle: https://t.co/buf1FBGffd #CFC“
— Bimo (@bimo_virgiawan1) February 21, 2015
Eleven minutes later, the visitors claimed a scarcely hoped-for draw when Mee headed home Kieran Trippier’s left-wing corner at the back post to nudge Sean Dyche’s side closer to safety.
City dismantled Newcastle in a sparkling performance that set them up perfectly for Tuesday’s Champions League visit of Barcelona.
Edin Dzeko won a penalty inside 30 seconds after being clipped by Vurnon Anita and Sergio Aguero scored from the spot to put City ahead.
Samir Nasri stretched City’s lead before Dzeko added a glorious third in the 21st minute, chesting down a raking pass from David Silva and steering a left-foot shot past Tim Krul.
Silva got in on the act with a brilliant quick-fire brace early in the second half and Wilfried Bony gave City’s fans further reasons to cheer when he came on to make his debut.
Meanwhile, Manchester United lost momentum in the battle for Champions League places after seeing a 19-game unbeaten run come to an end in a 2-1 defeat at Swansea City.
Ander Herrera celebrated his return to the starting XI by putting United ahead in the 28th minute after a sweeping move, only for Ki Sung-yueng to equalise almost immediately from Jonjo Shelvey’s cross.
Swansea claimed victory in the 73rd minute when Shelvey’s 25-yard shot flicked off team-mate Bafetimbi Gomis and flew past United goalkeeper David de Gea.
The goal, credited to Gomis, allowed Swansea to complete a first ever home-and-away league double over United, following their 2-1 win at Old Trafford on the season’s opening weekend.
Arsenal claim third
Arsenal capitalised on United’s slip-up with a 2-1 win at London rivals Crystal Palace that saw Arsene Wenger’s side climb to third place in the table.
Both Arsenal’s goals bore hints of litigiousness, however.
Santi Cazorla opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a penalty awarded after Pape Souare was adjudged to have fouled Danny Welbeck in an incident that appeared to have occurred just outside the area.
Olivier Giroud added a second on the stroke of half-time, following up after Julian Speroni had saved from Welbeck, but the England forward looked to have been offside in the build-up.
Glenn Murray tapped in a stoppage-time consolation for Palace.
United are also under threat from fifth-place Southampton, who will knock Louis van Gaal’s side out of the Champions League places if they avoid defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Tim Sherwood began his tenure as Aston Villa manager with a cruel 2-1 loss at home to Stoke City that saw his new side slip below Burnley to second-bottom.
Scott Sinclair headed Villa in front in the 20th minute, but Mame Biram Diouf equalised and Victor Moses gave Stoke victory with a stoppage-time penalty after Ron Vlaar was dismissed for felling Diouf.
Perennial troublemaker Joey Barton was sent off for flinging a hand towards Tom Huddlestone’s nether regions as Queens Park Rangers lost 2-1 at relegation rivals Hull City.
Nikica Jelavic volleyed Hull ahead and although Charlie Austin headed in a 39th-minute equaliser shortly after Barton had been given his marching orders, Dame N’Doye gave Hull victory with an 89th-minute header.
In the day’s other game, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion played out a drab 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light.
