Indomitable Leicester surge on towards title
By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Indomitable Leicester City edged three points nearer the Premier League title as Riyad Mahrez scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday to make it four successive wins for Claudio Ranieri's team.
With their rivals desperate for a favour from out-of-form Palace, Leicester ground out a 13th victory by a single goal this season to pile the pressure on their challengers.
They are eight points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, who play Bournemouth on Sunday, with seven games left, and 11 ahead of Arsenal who kept their title hopes alive when goals from Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi secured a 2-0 win at Everton.
Arsenal, who have a game in hand on Leicester, made a timely return to form after three league games without a win and exits from the FA Cup and Champions League in the past week.
West Ham United's charge into contention for Champions League qualification suffered a late setback at Chelsea where they were denied victory by Cesc Fabregas's late penalty.
Substitute Andy Carroll had put West Ham 2-1 ahead and had it stayed like that they would have moved into fourth place, but Fabregas, who also scored Chelsea's first, left them frustrated after Ruben Loftus-Cheek had tumbled in the area.
The Hammers stayed in fifth place with 50 points, one behind Manchester City who play sixth-placed Manchester United (47) in Sunday's derby. Chelsea remained unbeaten in the league under interim manager Guus Hiddink but an 11th draw of the season for last season's champions left them 10th.
Norwich City won 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion to move three points above the relegation zone and Stoke City beat Watford 2-1 to climb to seventh.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)