EPL: Leicester beats Tottenham; Howard, Everton hold Manchester City
LONDON (AP) — Robert Huth reignited Leicester's astonishing Premier League title charge with a rare goal securing a 1-0 victory over challenger Tottenham on Wednesday.
With Arsenal held 3-3 at Liverpool, Leicester moved level on points with the London leader by ending a three-game winless run.
And a Leicester team that was battling relegation last season is now eight points clear of fifth place and primed for a first-ever qualification for the Champions League.
Fourth-place Tottenham had only lost two games—like Leicester—before their top-four faceoff at White Hart Lane.
But Huth powered in a header in the 83rd minute to end Leicester's six-hour, 14-minute search for a league goal.
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Wednesday:
MANCHESTER CITY 0, EVERTON 0
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City stayed third in the Premier League after a goalless draw with Everton on Wednesday.
Manuel Pellegrini's City side appealed for a late penalty after Raheem Sterling went down under a John Stones challenge but nothing was given.
After a tame start, Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard had to push away a Yaya Toure header before Gerard Deulofeu forced City keeper Joe Hart to save his angled shot.
Everton's Leon Osman volleyed just past the post from Romelu Lukaku's cross, with the pair then trading passes - with Lukaku missing the target.
City dominated the second half, but Howard was on top form.
The United States keeper twice denied Sergio Aguero and thwarted Sterling's effort with his foot, booting away Kevin de Bruyne's low cross as City applied more pressure.
CHELSEA 2, WEST BROM 2
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea remained unbeaten under new coach Guus Hiddink after conceding a late equalizer to draw 2-2 at home to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Unmissable with a protective black mask, Cesar Azpilicueta put Chelsea ahead after 20 minutes, turning in a low cross from Branislav Ivanovic.
West Brom hit back and was rewarded with an equalizer when Chelsea gave the ball away and Craig Gardner fired home from 25 yards (meters) in the 33rd minute.
Chelsea's pressure paid off in the 73rd minute when West Brom's Gareth McAuley turned the ball into his own net as he tried to intercept a low cross by Willian.
But victory slipped through Chelsea's grasp at the end, when James McClean pounced to score an equalizer in the 86th minute.
STOKE CITY 3, NORWICH CITY 1
STOKE, England (AP) — Stoke moved up to seventh in the Premier League on Wednesday after a 3-1 win over Norwich, which had to play for an hour with 10 men.
Gary O'Neil hacked down Stoke's Ibrahim Affellay for a straight red card after 31 minutes.
Jon Walters struck four minutes into the second half when he slid in at the far post to slot Marko Arnautovic's cross into the net.
Norwich was level six minutes later when Jonny Howson fired a fierce shot into the roof of the net.
The hosts retook the lead after 67 minutes through Joselu who hit a low shot through the legs of defender Ryan Bennett.
Mark Hughes' side got their third after 78 when Bennett turned Afellay's free-kick into his own goal.
SUNDERLAND 4, SWANSEA CITY 2
SWANSEA, Wales (AP) — Jermain Defoe scored a hat trick as Sunderland swept to a 4-2 victory over 10-man Swansea in a Premier League relegation scrap on Wednesday.
Sunderland made an ideal start, with striker Defoe scoring after just three minutes.
Swansea equalized in the 21st minute when Gylfi Sigurdsson converted a penalty, but was reduced to 10 men in the 37th after a red card for Kyle Naughton.
The setback didn't prevent Andre Ayew from putting the host ahead just three minutes later.
However, Sunderland needed only four minutes after the restart to level, with defender Patrick van Aanholt cutting inside before smacking a shot into the top corner.
Adam Johnson put Defoe through for his second goal just after the hour mark and the forward rounded off the scoring in the 85th.
SOUTHAMPTON 2, WATFORD 0
SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Southampton secured only its second Premier League win in nine games by beating Watford 2-0 courtesy of goals by Shane Long and Dusan Tadic on Wednesday.
Long, starting up front ahead of Graziano Pelle, put Southampton in front with a header from Matt Targett's cross in the 17th minute.
Tadic came on as a substitute in the 71st and doubled Southampton's lead two minutes later, running into Watford's penalty area, creating some space for himself and finishing low beyond goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
Watford was outplayed at St. Mary's Stadium, with its in-form strike pairing of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney kept in check.
