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Rediff.com  » Sports » EPL PHOTOS: Fighting Leicester beat Spurs; Arsenal-Reds draw

EPL PHOTOS: Fighting Leicester beat Spurs; Arsenal-Reds draw

Last updated on: January 14, 2016 10:04 IST
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Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel and Robert Huth celebrate after beating Spurs on Wednesday

IMAGE: Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel and Robert Huth celebrate after beating Spurs aty White Hart Lane in Tottenham on Wednesday. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

'Keep Calm And Carry On' could be Claudio Ranieri's motto for the second half of the season after Leicester City earned a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday to put the heat back on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Their chances of taking the title may still be minimal -- just two percent according to a statistical report in the Leicester Mercury -- but Robert Huth's late header made a top-four finish look a lot more likely.

Leicester had gone three league games without a goal, dropping behind Arsenal and prompting fears that a slide had started, but their fighting spirit shone through at White Hart Lane.

Striker Jamie Vardy and winger Mahrez have netted 28 goals between them this season but both were off the park when Huth headed an 83rd minute winner, which ended a run of 374 minutes without a goal.

The win left Leicester behind Arsenal -- who played out a 3-3 thriller at Liverpool -- only on goal difference and three clear of third-placed ManchesterCity.

The gap to Spurs in fourth is now seven points.

Liverpool's Joe Allen celebrates with teammates on scoring the third goal at Anfield on Wednesday 

IMAGE: Liverpool's Joe Allen celebrates with teammates on scoring the third goal against Arsenal at Anfield on Wednesday. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

At Anfield, it was a thrilling end-to-end tussle that showcased the ferocious pace of the Premier League and the only two people who seemingly left Anfield disappointed after Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Arsenal were both teams' managers.

Neither Liverpool's Juergen Klopp, whose side snatched a 90th-minute equaliser, or Arsenal's Arsene Wenger, whose team saw their lead at the Premier League summit wiped out, were in celebratory mood after the final whistle.

Liverpool had taken the lead twice through Roberto Firmino, the second a stunning curled finish into the top corner, but Arsenal struck back with goals from Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud, in a blistering opening 25 minutes.

Giroud grabbed his second to make it 3-2 10 minutes into the second half, but the visitors could not hold on and Joe Allen came off the bench to net an equaliser in the 90th minute and snatch a share of the points.

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring the third goal for against Liverpool 

IMAGE: Arsenal's Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring the third goal for against Liverpool. Photograph: Carl Recine Livepic/Action Images via Reuters

For Wenger, it was two points dropped, while for Klopp it was hard to see beyond some poor defending that cost his team dear.

For those inside the stadium and those watching at home, however, it was undoubtedly one of the most entertaining games of the season.

With Leicester City winning 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur, it meant Arsenal now top the table only on goal difference from Claudio Ranieri's unlikely challengers.

"I'm very disappointed," Wenger told BT Sport.

"Overall, I cannot fault the effort and commitment of the team.

"We had a difficult start. At 3-2, we should have made it 4-2 and didn't make the right decision in the final third.

"Liverpool fought until the last second... We went 1-0 down and then we started to play. We come out of the game with a lot of positive but still some regrets."

Arsenal's Joel Campbell and Liverpool's Alberto Moreno vie for possession

IMAGE: Arsenal's Joel Campbell and Liverpool's Alberto Moreno vie for possession. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

For Liverpool, who are struggling to build up any head of steam under Klopp and are ninth in the table, 12 points adrift of Wednesday's opponents, there were some familiar defensive problems for the German coach to ponder.

"It's an explosion of goals but at the final whistle you cannot ignore there were problems," Klopp told the BBC.

"Organisation is one thing and sometimes we have a little problem with concentration.

"We gave them two easy goals, after we had to work really hard for our goals...

"At the end we made a real good game and needed luck to make the draw and I think we deserved it."

West Brom's Gareth McAuley scores an own goal for Chelsea's second as Kenedy looks on during ther match at Stamford Bridge

IMAGE: West Brom's Gareth McAuley scores an own goal for Chelsea's second as Kenedy looks on during ther match at Stamford Bridge. Toby Melville Livepic/Reuters

It was another disappointing outing for defending champions Chelsea, who dropped crucial points in a home game against West Bromwich Albion.

Chelsea interim coach Guus Hiddink lamented two dropped points as the champions' hopes of clawing their way back up the Premier League table were dented by a 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.

A tap-in by Cesar Azpilicueta and an own goal by Gareth McAuley were cancelled out either side of halftime by fine strikes from outside the box by Craig Gardner and James McClean.

Struggling Chelsea, who were hovering just above the relegation zone until recently, are now unbeaten in five league games, a run which began immediately after the departure of Jose Mourinho, the most successful manager in the club's history.

But they remain in the bottom half of the table and their only chance of silverware this season lies elsewhere.

Everton's John Stones is challenged by Manchester City's Raheem Sterling during their match at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday

IMAGE: Everton's John Stones is challenged by Manchester City's Raheem Sterling (right) during their match at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters

Third-placed Manchester City stayed three points off the top after being held to a 0-0 draw at home by Everton and Champions Chelsea continued to confound as they were twice pegged back in a 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion.

There was no goalmouth drama at the Etihad Stadium, although ManchesterCity's efforts to reduce the gap at the top were hit when they were denied a late penalty for a foul on Raheem Sterling by John Stones.

Sunderland's bid to stay up was boosted when Jermain Defoe grabbed a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over relegation rivals SwanseaCity, but NorwichCity were dragged towards the relegation scrap after losing 3-1 at Stoke.

Southampton won their first match in three with a 2-0 home victory over Watford.

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