MANCHESTER CITY missed the chance to close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League as Burnley came from two goals down to claim a point at the Etihad.The champions appeared to be cruising at halftime as Fernandinho added a screamer to David Silva’s well-worked opener.

However, Burnley came out for the second half with a belief they seldom showed in the first 45 minutes and pulled one back within two minutes of the restart as George Boyd poked home from an offside position.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini will not be happy when he sees the replays of the goal, and his side were knocked off their stride as the visitors began to take the game to them.
And, while City created chances to kill the game off, it was no surprise when Burnley got their equaliser. The hosts failed to clear a Kieran Trippier free kick and after the ball bounced off Boyd, Ashley Barnes lashed it into the far top corner.
Pellegrini sent on Scott Sinclair late on but the visitors were able to see out the game and claim a vital point that takes them level on points with Hull and Crystal Palace above them.
Chelsea were frustrated by a determined Southampton as the two sides drew 1-1 at St Mary’s Stadium.
Southampton were the more impressive of the two sides, bolstered by an easing of their recent injury crisis. Victor Wanyama and Morgan Scheiderlin dominated the midfield, with Sadio Mane stretching play ahead of them.
It was Mane who scored first, running onto Dusan Tadic’s pass and finishing confidently past Thibaut Courtois. Chelsea struggled for rhythm, and it took a moment of excellence from Eden Hazard, who cut in from the right, beat three defenders and finish with a strike into the far corner, to bring them level.
In the second half, Chelsea built on the ending of the first half, and pinned Southampton back into their own half for much of the second period. Despite that, Chelsea created little opening, and Hazard came closest for Chelsea when he dragged a shot just wide of goal.
With 15 minutes of normal time remaining, Didier Drogba was introduced, then Loic Remy. Morgan Schneiderlin received a second yellow for a foul on Cesc Fabregas, but there wasn’t enough time for Chelsea to build on the advantage.
Jose Mourinho’s side now risk being drawn into a title race, although Manchester City’s meltdown at home to Burnley means Chelsea reach the halfway point of the Premier League season with a three-point cushion.

(By Martyn Thomas)