Willian strikes late to snatch draw for Blues

Substitute Willian fires in a cross which loops over Simon Mignolet and into the Liverpool goal (inset), grabbing Chelsea a point in the 1-1 draw at Anfield CHELSEA needed a late goal from substitute Willian to snare a point as they drew 1-1 away at Liverpool.

The hosts looked set to claim victory thanks to former Blues winger Mo Salah, who scored his 16th goal of the Reds.

The Egyptian scored after 65 minutes and a win would have drawn the Reds level with their Stamford Bridge rivals.

But with just five minutes left, Brazil winger Willian’s right-wing cross floated over Simon Mignolet and into the far corner.

The result means the Blues remain in third, three points behind Manchester United and eight off leaders Manchester City.

Just a point behind Tottenham, Liverpool remain in fifth and sit out- side the lucrative Champions League places.

Tottenham needed Harry Kane’s 30th Premier League goal of 2017 to earn them a draw against West Brom.

However, the north London side will regard the 1-1 stalemate with the strugglers at Wembley as two points dropped.

West Brom appeared set to make a winning start to life without Tony Pulis when they took a fourth-minute lead through Salomon Rondon.

The striker outmuscled Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez and rolled a shot past Hugo Lloris.

However, they were denied a first win in 11 matches when Kane flicked home at the near post with 16 minutes remaining.

Rondon came closest to a winning goal, but he failed to take advantage in added time.

Second-placed Manchester United did not slip up, beating Brighton 1-0 at Old Trafford.

Lewis Dunk’s 66th-minute own goal separated the teams, after Ashley Young’s shot took a big deflection off the Seagulls defender and looped into the far corner of the net.

The result means United close the gap on leaders Manchester City to five points, although Pep Guardiola’s men can restore their eight-point lead on Sunday with a win at Huddersfield.

Bottom club Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Stoke 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

Xherdan Shaqiri gave the visitors a 53rd-minute lead, scoring with a fine individual effort after running from midfield to the edge of the area and bending the ball into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek levelled within three minutes, tapping in Andros Townsend’s inswinging cross unchallenged at the back post, then Mamadou Sakho won it for the home side in the second minute of added time.

Swansea and Bournemouth finished goalless at the Liberty Stadium.

The closest the teams came to a goal was when the home side’s Wilfried Bony saw a first-half breakthrough ruled out for a push by Jordan Ayew on Nathan Ake.