Chelsea held by Liverpool but rivals fail to profit
By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Diego Costa's missed second-half penalty cost Premier League leaders Chelsea a victory at Liverpool on Tuesday but a 1-1 draw did little damage to their title prospects as closest rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur dropped points.
Spain striker Costa was denied by Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet, who made amends for being caught off guard by a superb David Luiz free kick midway through the first half.
Georginio Wijnaldum's close-range header levelled the scores in the 57th minute as Liverpool avoided a fourth consecutive home defeat in all competitions although Juergen Klopp's side remain 10 points adrift in fourth place.
Arsenal, who began the day second, suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat by Watford who managed a first league win in eight games.
Watford scored twice inside the first 13 minutes through Younes Kaboul and Troy Deeney and hung on for the victory after Alex Iwobi pulled one back near the hour mark.
Arsenal are nine points behind Chelsea, who have 56, as are Tottenham Hotspur who moved above their north London rivals on goal difference after a lacklustre 0-0 draw at basement club Sunderland. Spurs also lost defender Danny Rose to injury.
Champions Leicester City's relegation worries are becoming acute after Claudio Ranieri's side went down 1-0 at Burnley for whom Sam Vokes grabbed a late winner.
Leicester are now just two points off the relegation zone in 16th place with the battle for survival hotting up after wins for Swansea City and Crystal Palace.
Third-bottom Palace won in the league for the first time under new manager Sam Allardyce as Scott Dann and Christian Benteke scored the goals in a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth.
Gylfi Sigurdsson's 70th minute effort earned Swansea a second consecutive win to stay just above the trapdoor.
Sliding Middlesbrough eeked out a point in a 1-1 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion but remain in trouble.
On Wednesday, fifth-placed Manchester City, 13 points off the pace, visit West Ham United while Manchester United, a further two points back, host Hull City, who are now bottom.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)