STUNNING COMEBACK KEEPS CHELSEA IN SIGHT OF TOP FOUR
>> SOUTHAMPTON: Chelsea scored three goals in eight minutes, including two from substitute Olivier Giroud, in a stirring second-half comeback from 2-0 down to beat relegation-threatened Southampton 3-2 in the Premier League yesterday.
The victory kept alive fifth-place Chelsea’s slim hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, with seven points now separating the champions from Tottenham and Liverpool above them.
After goals from Dusan Tadic and Jan Bednarek put Southampton 2-0 ahead by the 60th minute, Giroud headed in Marcos Alonso’s cross to start the fightback in the 70th — nine minutes after coming on for the ineffective Alvaro Morata.
Eden Hazard slammed in a finish from close range in the 75th, before Giroud met a weak headed clearance with a driven half-volley into the bottom corner in 78th.
They were the first goals for Chelsea in the Premier League for Giroud, who gained a reputation as a so-called “super-sub” in his time at Arsenal before moving to Stamford Bridge in January.
“We have to keep giving everything until the end of the season. If it’s still possible to get in the top four we have to try until the end,” said defender Marcos Alonso of the club’s top-four push.
“They [the fans] just have to know we are giving everything and we are improving from the mistakes this year. We’ll come back stronger for sure.”
Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 and were beaten by Arsenal in the League Cup semi-finals.
Southampton stayed in the relegation zone with five games left.
CITY TRIO, SALAH IN SHORTLIST Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and David Silva lead a six-strong cast that also includes the prolific Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane for the 2017-18 Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award.
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is the other nominee.
Despite blowing the chance to seal the Premier League title in a thrilling 3-2 derby defeat to Manchester United last weekend, City still boast a 13-point lead at the top of the table heading into last night’s match against Tottenham.
De Bruyne is expected to be City’s leading candidate having contributed a league-high 15 assists and seven goals from midfield as Pep Guardiola’s have marched towards the title.
However, the Belgian may be beaten to the award by Salah’s free-scoring form.
The Egyptian has scored 39 times in all competitions, including in each leg as Liverpool dumped City out of the Champions League quarter-finals 5-1 on aggregate.
Salah leads the way in the race for the Premier League golden boot with 29 goals to Kane’s 25.
Sane and Kane are also on the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award alongside City goalkeeper Ederson and forward Raheem Sterling, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and leftback Ryan Sessegnon, who has starred in Fulham’s push for promotion from the Championship.