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LONDON: Chelsea’s Brazilian-born Spanish striker (C) sends a shot wide during the English football match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in London yesterday. — AP Hazard jewel cuts Arsenal 12 pts adrift

Chelsea have been close to unplayable since Antonio almost caught Chelsea cold here, Alex Iwobi curling wide behind from Alonso’s accurate cut-back. Conte changed their system during their 3-0 loss at after Thibaut Courtois overhit a pass towards . But Arsenal ended the first half strongly, Courtois pro- Chelsea 3 Arsenal on September 24 and it seems only a matter of But after Gary Cahill had headed into the ground and ducing a stunning one-handed save to turn Gabriel’s time until they are crowned champions. over the bar at the other end, Chelsea went ahead in the header over the bar and then dropping onto a tame For Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who watched 13th minute with a goal that left Arsenal fans fuming. effort by Mesut Ozil. from the stands as he served the third game of a four- It took a last-ditch tackle by Laurent Koscielny to pre- Arsenal 1 match touchline ban, his side’s season is following a BELLERIN FORCED OFF vent Hazard scampering clear early in the second half, wearily familiar pattern. Pedro sent a cross into the box from the right that but when the Chelsea number 10 picked up the ball in Arsenal have lost their last five games at the Bridge Diego Costa headed against the bar at the near post, the 53rd minute, there was no getting it back. LONDON: scored a sublime solo goal as and had conceded 13 unanswered goals prior to Olivier sending the ball spinning into the air. After striding onto a loose ball in the centre circle, he Premier League leaders Chelsea thrust a dagger into Giroud’s stoppage-time consolation. As Hector Bellerin got himself in position to head it beat Koscielny, shrugged off Coquelin, leaving him flat Arsenal’s title aspirations with a 3-1 victory at Stamford They have lost four of their last nine league games and away, and with Walcott watching on impassively, Alonso on his back, and then outfoxed Koscielny again before Bridge yesterday. The Belgian winger left a trail of once again face the prospect of a run-in given suspense flew in, cleaning his fellow Spaniard out with his forearm squeezing a shot past Cech. defenders in his wake to double Chelsea’s lead in the only by the tussle for Champions League places. With a and heading the ball home. On the touchline, Conte celebrated with characteristic 53rd minute, in between a contentious header by raft of midfielders unavailable, Wenger was obliged to Referee Martin Atkinson allowed the goal to stand and abandon. There were flickers from Arsenal, Courtois claw- Marcos Alonso and a late lob from Arsenal old boy start with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain alongside Francis Arsenal’s disappointment was compounded by the sight ing away a deft header from substitute , Cesc Fabregas. Coquelin in the middle, while Theo Walcott replaced of a dazed Bellerin being led down the tunnel, with before Fabregas lobbed in from 25 yards after Cech It was Chelsea’s 11th home victory in succession and Giroud in attack. Gabriel taking his place. shanked the ball straight to him. their 16th win in 18 league games, stretching their lead Arsenal had conceded two goals in the first 13 min- Chelsea were buoyant, Costa driving a shot into the Giroud reduced the arrears, heading in from Nacho over third-place Arsenal to a huge 12 points with 14 utes of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss at home to Watford. They side-netting and Pedro forcing Petr Cech to push the ball Monreal’s cross — AFP games of the season remaining. Kane keeps Spurs title hopes alive

national Heung-Min Son saw his low shot pushed out by Middlesbrough Tottenham 1 goalkeeper Victor Valdes. was next to try, but hit the side netting after Christian Eriksen’s shrewd pass had opened up the visitors’ defence. Valdes, Middlesbrough 0 SOUTHAMTON: Southampton’s Sofiane Boufal, left, and though, could find himself in hot water West Ham United’s Aaron Cresswell in action during their with the Football Association after rais- English Premier League soccer match at St Mary’s LONDON: ’s penalty ended ing his hands at Alli in the aftermath Stadium in Southampton, England, yesterday. — AP Middlesbrough’s resistance as which was missed by referee Mark Tottenham’s 1-0 win yesterday kept their Clattenburg but caught on camera. It flickering Premier League title challenge promised to be a busy night for the West Ham seal win alive. Spaniard, who was saved by his post in Spurs are nine points off runaway the 24th minute. at Southampton leaders Chelsea thanks to Kane’s second Eriksen’s corner was met by Toby SOUTHAMPTON: half spot-kick-the players answering Alderweireld and the Belgian’s powerful Southampton 1 West Ham United manager Mauricio Pocchetino’s demand header bounced off the outside of the recovered from a on Friday to maintain their hold on sec- post. goal down to ond place and pray for Chelsea’s form to Middlesbrough frustrated the home cruise to a com- West Ham 3 slump. side but the breakthrough almost arrived fortable 3-1 Tottenham lost precious ground after via Kane in the 24th minute. Son’s cross Premier League being held by Sunderland in their previ- found the England striker but Kane was victory away ous game and Middlesbrough were in stretched and could not direct his header against Southampton yesterday. danger of repeating the trick. That was on target from six-yards out. The game Southampton’s Italian forward Manolo Gabbiadini, until Kane struck in the 58th minute to was played exclusively in making his debut following his arrival from Napoli, fin- give the hosts their seventh successive Middlesbrough’s half but Karanka’s side ished superbly from a tight angle in the 12th minute home win and leave Middlesbrough- were happy to sit back and soak up pres- before Andy Carroll leveled with a neat finish two min- without a win away since the opening sure. utes later-his fourth goal in four league games. month of the campaign-looking nerv- When it looked like they had been Pedro Obiang, provider for Carroll’s goal, put the visi- ously over their shoulders. Aitor breached, the assistant referee’s flag tors ahead with a long-range strike in the 44th before Karanka’s side are just a point above the saved them as Kane had strayed offside Mark Noble’s free kick was deflected off Steven Davies bottom three. Tottenham’s task would after turning home Son’s cross. Spurs and into the net to condemn Southampton to a sixth have been much tougher had Alvaro were hitting a brick wall as Eriksen’s defeat in seven league games. Negredo not planted Adama Traore’s LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, left, competes for the ball in the piledriver was pushed away by Valdes The victory lifted West Ham, winners of six of their right-wing cross over in the opening air with Middlesbrough’s Calum Chambers during the English Premier League soc- but Spurs were finally presented with the last nine league games, to ninth while out-of-form minutes. It appeared to spark Spurs into cer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane sta- chance in the 57th minute that would Southampton sit four points and four places below in action as man of the match Korean inter- dium in London, yesterday. — AP not be passed up. — AFP 13th. — Reuters