MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Chelsea failed to fully capitalize on Manchester City’s stumble in the Premier League football title race by only drawing against Southampton on Sunday, while Wayne Rooney landed a blow to Tottenham’s Champions League hopes in Manchester United’s most impressive victory this season.
Chelsea extended their lead over City to six points – with a game in hand – with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, although the advantage would have been even bigger had Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster not produced several great saves in the second half.
Diego Costa’s 11th-minute header for Chelsea, which ended his seven-game goal drought, was quickly cancelled out by a penalty converted by Dusan Tadic.
Rooney capped United’s 3-0 win over Spurs at Old Trafford with a stunning solo goal and performed a boxing knockout celebration, where he shaped a flurry of punches before falling over on his back. It was a response to video footage, released by a British newspaper on Sunday, that apparently showed the England captain being floored by an ex-teammate in a sparring session at home.
Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick also scored first-half goals for fourth-place United, which moved to within two points of Man City in what is proving to be a riveting tussle for Champions League qualification.
Spurs dropped six points off the top four with a poor display that revived memories of their capitulations against the top sides last season.
In the day’s other game, Everton beat Newcastle 3-0 to pull clear of relegation danger and lift some of the gloom surrounding the club. James McCarthy, Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley scored the goals as Newcastle finished with ten men following Fabricio Coloccini’s sending-off.
