London’s finest held by league’s lowest

By Razeen Gutta

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea dropped points against relegation battling Southampton and Everton on a goal-filled Saturday in the Premier League. 

While Manchester City thrashed Burnley 6-0 in their FA Cup quarter final, the race to avoid the drop and make the European places in the league both took yet another turn. 

After Newcastle United won 2-1 away at Nottingham Forest on Friday, Spurs and Chelsea would have known that anything less than three points would have a negative effect on their top four hopes. 

For Spurs, it all looked smooth sailing as they found themselves 3-1 up away to bottom placed Southampton. 

Goals from Pedro Porro, Harry Kane and Ivan Perisic put the visitors in a dominant position. But former Arsenal man Theo Walcott pulled one back for the Saints with 13 minutes to go; and late on, drama ensued. 

A stoppage time penalty was awarded as St Mary’s erupted, James Ward Prowse put it away and the hosts claimed yet another famous point.

The 3-3 draw adds to Southampton’s stalemate against Manchester United last week and takes them up to 28 points as they continue their fight to remain in the Premier League next season. 

The other three games on the goal rush saw wins for Aston Villa and Leeds over Bournemouth and Wolves while Leicester and Brentford played out a 1-1 draw. 

Another team in trouble arrived in London in the late game as Everton hoped to take something back to Merseyside. Chelsea were no easy opponents though, with the Blues still on a high from their Champions League progression.

Graham Potter’s side went in front not once, but twice, as Joao Felix and Kai Havertz scored for the hosts. 

Everton were resilient though, and cancelled out both finishes with goals of their own courtesy of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ellis Simms. 

22-year-old Simms scored his first goal for the Toffees late in stoppage time to rescue the point, sending them two clear of the bottom three and leaving Chelsea battling it out in mid-table. 

In cup competition, South African Lyle Foster had an opportunity on the grand stage as his Burnley side faced Premier League champions Manchester City. 

The Championship leaders were brutalised by the hosts from start to finish, with Erling Haaland at it again with a hatrick at the Etihad. 

Julian Alvarez got a brace and Cole Palmer got on the scoresheet as well to put the icing on the cake of a 6-0 thumping. 

Pictured above: Everton’s Ellis Simms 

Image source: @PremierLeague

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