Chelsea, Spurs drop more points on EPL rivals

Chelsea and Tottenham have both dropped more points in their quests to climb back up the English Premier League standings.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

A second half goal from Nottingham Forest’s Serge Aurier forced Chelsea to settle for a 1-1 draw on Monday (NZ time).

Earlier, Tottenham’s hopes of regaining their place in the top four were scuppered as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa.

Fresh from their first league win in six games last time out against Bournemouth, Chelsea started well in the Nottingham drizzle, with Raheem Sterlng firing them into the lead in the 16th minute.

Forest improved after the break and were desperately unlucky not to equalise early in the second half as Morgan Gibbs-White’s drilled half volley hit the underside of the crossbar but bounced on the goal line and away.

The hosts kept coming and deservedly levelled things up as Aurier fired home in the 63rd minute from a corner and looked the more likely to go on to win the match.

Forest could not complete the turnaround with Chelsea hanging on for a point that leaves them eighth in the standings, seven points behind Manchester United in fourth.

The hosts remain in the relegation zone but climbed to 18th, level on 14 points with West Ham United above them.

Meanwhile Spurs were devoid of inspiration throughout their match against Aston Villa and were punished after the break by goals from Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz.

Tottenham’s France keeper Hugo Lloris, playing his first game since losing the World Cup final, was at fault for Buendia’s 50th-minute opener. And when Luiz added a second in the 73rd minute, home fans began streaming towards the exits.

Chants against Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy rang out and it could have got worse as Villa sauntered to only a third win in their last 22 Premier League clashes with the Londoners.

Tottenham were booed off at the final whistle as defeat left them in fifth place with 30 points from 17 matches, two points behind Manchester United who have a game in hand and 13 behind local rivals and leaders Arsenal.

Villa, who claimed a third win in four league games since former Arsenal manager Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in November, remain in 12th place with 21 points.

– Reuters