Spurs stays in title race
LONDON: Christian Eriksen’s superb longrange winner earned Tottenham Hotspur a hardfought 10 victory at Crystal Palace yesterday, to keep open the English Premier League title race.
Tottenham’s eighth successive league victory cut Chelsea’s lead four points, with five games to play, after it beat Southampton 42 on Wednesday.
Spurs pounded away at Palace’s massed defence and Eriksen came up with a fine winner in the 78th minute, beating keeper Wayne Hennessey from 25 metres with a powerful, skidding drive that crept inside the post.
‘‘It is unbelievable. This is a tough place to come and we had to keep fighting. We knew our time would come and what a strike by Christian Eriksen,’’ Tottenham striker Harry Kane said.
‘‘We can’t focus on Chelsea. We have five tough games. We have to win them to have a chance and hopefully we can do that.’’
Arsenal, meanwhile, kept alive its hopes of securing a 20th successive Champions League campaign by beating last year’s premier league champion, Leicester City, 10 with a late own goal at The Emirates Stadium.
Arsene Wenger’s side, which has now won four of its last five league and cup games, had most of the firsthalf possession but it was Leicester which carved out the best early chances, Jamie Vardy firing a firsttime shot into the side netting and then Riyad Mahrez forcing a superb save from Petr Cech.
But it was Nacho Monreal’s effort, in the 86th minute, that deflected off Robert Huth that finally undid Leicester and earned Arsenal the three vital points.
Middlesbrough won its crucial relegation battle against bottomplaced Sunderland 10 to keep its slim hopes of survival alive.
Marten de Roon put the ball between goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s legs after eight minutes which leaves it six points behind 17thplace Hull with four games to go. — AAP