League leaders Chelsea drop points in 1-1 draw with Burnley

Premier League leader Chelsea dropped points for only the third time since September after getting pegged back by dogged Burnley in a 1-1 draw at a snowy Turf Moor on Sunday.

The result meant Chelsea extended its lead to 10 points over second-placed Tottenham, which lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Saturday, but this was one of the most uncomfortable games that Antonio Conte's side has experienced for some time.

Pedro Rodriguez finished off a rapid counterattack to put Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute, only for Burnley to equalize through Robbie Brady's curling, 25-meter free-kick in the 24th.

Burnley had the better chances to win the game, with the team's physical presence and threat on the counterattack causing Chelsea problems throughout.

Since losing 3-0 to Arsenal on Sept. 24, Chelsea has won all of its games except for a 2-0 loss to Tottenham on Jan. 4 and a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Jan. 31.

Manchester City will go second and trim Chelsea's lead to eight points if it beats Bournemouth on Monday.

This was always going to be a testing game for Chelsea, not least because of the conditions at the bitingly cold atmospheric Turf Moor. Burnley had won nine of its previous 10 games in all competitions at its ground, with its only home loss since early October coming against Man City.

And by the time they had recovered from a shaky opening 20 minutes, the hosts hurt Chelsea with their direct style and relentless work rate.

After Brady equalized with his exquisite free kick on his first start since a club-record move on Jan. 31, Burnley created the better chances with Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saving low from Matthew Lowton and Andre Gray either side of halftime.

Pedro's goal came from one of Chelsea's few openings, the Spanish winger running onto Victor Moses squared pass to take one touch — wrong-footing Michael Keane in the process — and finishing low into the corner.

That proved to be the visitors' last shot on target, although Chelsea enjoyed 71 percent possession.

Chelsea has had a tough run of fixtures to open 2017, with Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal among the opponents. But the leaders are still huge title favorites given their next five league games are against Swansea, West Ham, Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace.

Leicester's slump escalates with 2-0 loss at Swansea

Leicester's title defense in the Premier League sunk to a new low on Sunday when the slumping champions lost 2-0 to Swansea for a fifth straight defeat.

Two first-half goals by defenders did the damage for Swansea, with center back Alfie Mawson volleying home in the 36th minute and left back Martin Olsson adding a second with a low drive in stoppage time.

Leicester dropped to 17th place in the 20-team league, one place and one point above the relegation zone. Just nine months ago, the unfashionable club from central England enchanted the sporting world by becoming the most unlikely champion at preseason odds of 5,000-1.

Leicester is still to score a league goal in 2017 — it's more than 10 hours of play since Islam Slimani's winner against West Ham on Dec. 31 — and the defense can't keep them out at the other end.

Both of Swansea's goals were excellently taken. Mawson executed his like a striker, meeting a header back across the area by fellow center back Federico Fernandez with a sweet first-time strike from 10 meters that flew past Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. It was Mawson's third goal in his last six games.

Olsson's goal came from more of a team move, with Fernando Llorente and Gylfi Sigurdsson combining to send the Sweden international through down the left. He closed in on Schmeichel and buried a low shot inside the goalkeeper's near post.

Watched by its Thai owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabh, Leicester dominated the second half but couldn't end its goal drought as substitute Slimani was denied by

Yesterday Burnley-Chelsea .............................. 1-1 Pedro 7’ (C), Brady 24’ (B) Swansea-Leicester .......................... 2-0 Mawson 36’, Olsson 45+2’

Standings

Chelsea Tottenham Arsenal Liverpool Man. City Man. United Everton West Brom Stoke City West Ham Southampton Burnley Watford Bournemouth Swansea M’sbrough Leicester Hull City Crystal Palace Sunderland FA Cup P W D L F A Pts 25 19 3 3 52 18 60 25 14 8 3 46 18 50 25 15 5 5 54 28 50 25 14 7 4 54 30 49 24 15 4 5 49 29 49 25 13 9 3 38 21 48 25 11 8 6 40 27 41 25 10 7 8 34 31 37 25 8 8 9 30 36 32 25 9 5 11 34 43 32 25 8 6 11 28 31 30 25 9 3 13 27 36 30 25 8 6 11 29 42 30 24 7 5 12 35 47 26 25 7 3 15 31 54 24 25 4 10 11 19 27 22 25 5 6 14 24 43 21 25 5 5 15 22 49 20 25 5 4 16 32 46 19 25 5 4 16 24 46 19

Yesterday Hearts-Hibernian .............................. 0-0 Rangers-Morton ............................... 2-1

SCOTLAND

Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and Jamie Vardy blazed high and wide from the edge of the area.

Up next for Leicester is an FA Cup fifth-round match at secondtier Millwall before a trip to Sevilla for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 match. Then the fight for Premier League survival resumes with a home game against Liverpool on Feb. 27, with relegation now a serious prospect.