Chelsea's home woes continue after Tadic cancels out Costa's opener as Mourinho's side fail to take full advantage of City slip

CHELSEA 1-1 SOUTHAMPTON 

 Chelsea are 110 years old this month: and they look every day of it, battling towards a third Premier League title under Jose Mourinho. He likes to win his trophies from the front, but the going is getting harder. Had Manchester City not chosen exactly the same time in the season to have a wobble, Chelsea would be looking over their shoulders by now.

Instead, they dropped two points at home, while actually managing to increase their lead at the top. Six points clear with a game in hand is nobody's idea of a crisis – particularly when the spare game is against Leicester City. Mourinho would certainly have bought that at the start of the season, as would any rival. Yet this Chelsea are far removed from the team that once seemed so assured.

They are creating chances, but not finishing them and while Diego Costa's first league goal since January 17 was welcome, other chances that would have been dispatched six months ago seem to reflect Chelsea's malaise.  

This is a team that is tired by its exertions, in cups and in Europe too, and against a Southampton side that is bright and quick they were made to work at full capacity, certainly in the first-half. Nemanja Matic was booked for the foul that resulted in Southampton's penalty and was fortunate that referee Mike Dean chose not to issue a second yellow for a 47th minute challenge on Sadio Mane. He was replaced by Ramires soon after, perhaps an acknowledgement of that fact.

If the second-half belonged to Chelsea that was probably because Southampton saw a point gained at Stamford Bridge as mission accomplished and were happy to soak up pressure and live on the break. This they did admirably with brave blocking tackles and an impressive display from goalkeeper Fraser Forster. 

Before half-time, however, it was Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois that needed to be at the top of his game. It was an excellent match, but one that will give heart to the chasing pack. Arsenal are even further adrift – seven points and have played a game more – but Chelsea must visit the Emirates Stadium on April 26. It would require a quite incredible comeback – then again, everyone was half expecting Chelsea to have the job as good as done by now,

They certainly did enough to win in the second-half, but that is all part of their recent difficulties – the failure to close out games. It happened against Burnley, twice against Paris St Germain, and here. Chelsea were ahead after 11 minutes, were pegged back seven minutes later, and couldn't get ahead after that. They hit a post, had the standard penalty appeals rejected – rightly, it seemed from here – and brought the best out of Ronald Koeman's defenders, but it wasn't enough. 

This is a Chelsea team limping towards the finish line, in comparison to their early season form. When, with ten minutes to go, the ball fell to Costa with the goal begging, the boot of Southampton's Jose Fonte boot diverted his shot high into the stand. He wouldn't have needed that extra split second in September – and Chelsea would in all likelihood have won.

In the last 30 minutes, Chelsea had seven chances good enough to win the match. Forster punched out an Oscar corner, which Willian fired back and Costa turned onto the far post. Willian then crossed for Oscar whose header from close range struck Forster without him knowing too much about it. He did better when Eden Hazard tried to turn in the rebound, blocking at his near post. He saved from Oscar one on one after 75 minutes, and was fortunate that Juan Cuadrado finished poorly when introduced to the game by a Cesc Fabregas cross. 

Forster was brilliant low at his near post to keep out a long range shot from Cesar Azpilicueta as the game moved into injury time and a final round of penalty box pinball saw Loic Remy, John Terry and Terry again have shots blocked as Chelsea strived for the winner.

To no avail. Chelsea's determination repaid Mourinho's faith in sticking with ten of the 11 players that were removed from the Champions League by PSG – Ramires was the exception – but there was also the risk of a hangover from such a disappointing night. That looked to have kicked in during the first-half, when not even an early lead could make the champions elect comfortable.

Chelsea's goal was a thing of beauty, however. It came on the counter-attack, Willian sending Hazard away, the wide man cutting inside and going on a run that skirted the periphery of the penalty area, before involving Costa and, eventually, Branislav Ivanovic on the right. He struck a lovely cross and Costa, now drifting into a central area, met it with a header that left Forster without a hope.

From there, against all expectations, Southampton dominated. Just two minutes later Ryan Bertrand fed Dusan Tadic – arguably Southampton's most influential player during their best spells – and his cross picked out Mane. It took a quite brilliant save from Courtois to keep him out, after which Tadic curled a shot wide of the far post.

The next attack brought the breakthrough. Mane broke into the penalty area and was felled by Matic. Referee Dean was some distance away but pointed immediately to the spot. Matic was outraged but replays were inconclusive. He looked to have got some of the ball and some of the man, at roughly the same time. He might have been hard done by but, equally, the tackle was high risk in that area and always carried the possibility of sanction. Tadic got lucky with the penalty, hit straight down the middle and almost clipping Courtois's feet. The scoreline was less fortunate, though – Southampton fully deserved to be level at this point.

Until half-time came, Chelsea struggled to regain the initiative. A shot by Tadic struck Gary Cahill's arm in the 20th minute and could easily have resulted in a penalty. Less convincing was Ivanovic's tumble under pressure from Tadic at the other end. He may have been clipped, slightly, but his fall was that of a man taken out at the knees. Dean ignored him, and understandably so.

Southampton were in the ascendancy now. A mistake by John Terry allowed Shane Long to pick out Mane again, and this time his shot was saved. Soon after, a corner by Steven Davis was met on the volley Paul Scholes-style by Morgan Schneiderlin. The second-half began little differently – a free-kick from 30 yards by Toby Alderweireld forcing another fine save from Courtois. 

'To get a good result against Chelsea you need luck,' said Southampton manager Ronald Koeman, but there was nothing lucky about this. Southampton worked hard for their point, and against a Chelsea side gasping for breath these days, that is increasingly enough.

Hamilton storms to victory at the Australian GP as world champion begins title defence by leaving Rosberg trailing in opener

Lewis Hamilton storms to victory at the Australian GP as world champion leaves Nico Rosberg trailing in F1 season opener 

• Lewis Hamilton dominated the first race of the campaign to open up his championship defence with a win
• Nico Rosberg completed a Mercedes one-two, but the German was no match for his team-mate 
• Sebastian Vettel secured the final podium spot on his Ferrari debut with Felipe Massa 4th for Williams 
• Jenson Button finished 11th and last after nursing his McLaren home... only 15 cars started in Melbourne

You wait half a lifetime to see the Terminator, and then two come along at once. Standing on the top step of the podium was the indestructible human-looking phenomenon of legend, and next to him stood Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Lewis Hamilton, of course, was the second terminator, the crushing victor of the Australian Grand Prix that gave him the perfect start in his attempt to become the first British driver to successfully defend the Formula One world championship.

He has hung about with stars of the screen, fashion and music through a winter of a paparazzo’s dream, but here he was after 58 laps he had rendered as interesting as counting sheep, the supreme driver of the moment. 

Although his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg put in some fastest laps, Hamilton seemed to be holding back, doing all he needed with measure and control. But for his one and only pit stop, he led throughout after effectively winning the race with a dominant pole position on Saturday. Rosberg was second, with Sebastian Vettel third on his Ferrari debut.

‘Lewis made no mistakes,’ said Rosberg. ‘I wasn’t able to get close to him, let alone try to overtake.’

If there was any downside to Hamilton’s victory it was the possibility it raised of a one-sided season, or at least, if Rosberg can find form, an internal duel. For these Mercedes are so invulnerable they could take you to all four corners of the Earth and back without so much as a splutter.

Vettel was 34 seconds behind Hamilton, who, on this track, put Stevenage on the map with a breathtaking first few corners of daring and precision in his debut Formula One race eight years ago. The TV cameras barely focused on the Mercedes because routine genius can be boring to behold. 

Not only that but damaging to the sport, according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

He is one of the most intelligent and garlanded figures in the sport but he might be considered something of a hostile witness for Formula One given his vested interest in the revival of his struggling team. But he deserves a hearing.

‘When we were winning — and we were never winning with an advantage that Mercedes have — double diffusers were banned, exhausts were moved, flexible bodywork was banned, engine mapping was changed mid-season,’ said Horner. ‘Anything was done to pull us back. That was not just us; it was done to McLaren and Williams in other years. 

‘Is it healthy to have a situation like this? Take nothing from Mercedes, they have done a super job. The problem is that the gap is so big that you end up with three-tier racing and that is not healthy for Formula One.

‘The FIA can see the power output that every engine is producing. They have the facts and they could quite easily come up with a way of a form of equalisation.’

Yes, but is the pursuit of, and reward for, perfection not Formula One’s raison d’etre?

Any late risers among the insomniac petrol-heads watching the race live early in Sunday’s British morning would have missed the greatest excitements of the day: the pre-race rate of withdrawal. 

Kevin Magnussen, driving for the tardy McLaren team, did not even manage to make it on to the grid. His Honda-powered engine gave up on him soon after he left the garage, sending smoke into the warm air.

Within seconds of that, Daniil Kvyat’s Red Bull gearbox packed in. This was a another blow for a team already angered by engine supplier Renault’s failure to improve on last year’s power unit.

With Manor not even having taken part in qualifying, and Williams’ Valtteri Bottas having pulled out with a bad back, only 15 cars started the grand prix.

Although Hamilton safely negotiated the opening lap, Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari caught Felipe Nasr’s Sauber, which then clipped Pastor Maldonado’s Lotus. It clunked into the wall, ending the Venezuelan’s participation. We were down to 14 cars.

Maldonado’s team-mate Romain Grosjean was then wheeled into the garage after suffering power failure. Make that 13.

Max Verstappen, the history-making Toro Rosso man, was next to go. ‘Smoke in the car,’ said the 17-year-old, anxiously. We were down to 12 .

Raikkonen’s afternoon ended when a second shoddy pit stop left him with a barely fitted left rear wheel. Now there were merely 11.

Lo and behold, this meant Jenson Button was in contention for points having started at the very back of the grid. But he could do no more than finish 11th and last in a McLaren-Honda that remains in a lamentably early stage of development.

But he believes, to borrow a phrase, they will be back.

Giroud, Ramsey and Flamini on target as Arsenal move a point off second spot

 

Arsenal 3-0 West Ham: Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini on target to fire Gunners towards top four finish

• Arsenal kept up their chase for a top four finish in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over West Ham at the Emirates
• Olivier Giroud netted his sixth goal in seven games to open the scoring for Gunners on the stroke of half time
• Referee Chris Foy was replaced by assistant Anthony Taylor midway through the second half 
• Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey was assisted by Giroud to double the lead with his first goal since December
• Substitute Mathieu Flamini sealed victory after coming on to meet a cross from Santi Cazorla

It is a measure of Arsenal’s progress that fixtures like these no longer end in boos and angry recrimination. As the final whistle approached, the crowd at the Emirates were unusually vocal, anticipating trips to Wembley and singing praise of their team.

Earlier it had the feel of one of the afternoons with which we have become so familiar in recent years, one of those days when Arsenal break world records for possessions stats but come up against an inspired goalkeeper and end the day with fans furious at their manager, the board of directors and life in general.

But with Olivier Giroud in exceptional form, Aaron Ramsey also outstanding and Mesut Ozil thriving against the kind of opposition he relishes, Arsenal eventually cantered to victory in some style. 

Better measures of their real progress remain, of course. On Tuesday night they visit Monaco where you might anticipate another glorious comeback which ultimately ends in failure. Then there will be the league table at the end of the season which will likely tell the tale of an opportunity missed to challenge for the title.

Arsene Wenger conceded that, even with Chelsea still to come to the Emirates, Arsenal are not yet in the title race. ‘Not at the moment,’ he said. ‘But we can just keep going. We won eight of the last nine. We are stronger today than we were at the start of the season.

‘We suffered a lot from the World Cup, where the players came back. What is for sure is that they understand each other much better than six or seven months ago and that makes everyone more dangerous.’

At least Arsenal are not going backwards these days; the problem may be that they aren’t moving forwards fast enough but they are at least pointing in the right direction. 

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce looked as though he understood as much and had settled for one of those afternoons when he aims to ‘out-tactic’ the opposition.

You could hardly blame him given the resources at his disposal, with Enner Valencia and James Tomkins the latest additions to his injury list and Carl Jenkinson ineligible.

Kevin Nolan almost shocked Arsenal with a clean strike on 23 minutes but at half-time, Arsenal had 74 per cent of the possession.

At times it looked as if West Ham goalkeeper Adrian was has having one of those inspired afternoon. It was later revealed he was playing with a dislocated finger sustained in the warm up, a fact which made his performance truly heroic. ‘He’s been a brave lad,’ said assistant manager Neil McDonald.

Theo Walcott was having a less satisfactory time. Thrust back in for his first start in more than a month, he did little to help his ongoing contract talks. Three times he was presented with the opportunity to open the scoring; three times he spurned the chances. 

He could plead mitigation for the first effort on six minutes. A delightful back heel from Giroud set him up with just Adrian to beat, but James Collins came through the man and the ball to prevent him scoring.

It might have been a penalty but it was Walcott’s own hesitation in front of goal which had presented Collins with the chance to launch his saving tackle.

Adrian would then make excellent saves from Alexis Sanchez’s header on 16 minutes and from an improvised touch of the knee from Ramsey on 32 minutes, before Walcott received his next chance. Played in by a delightful Ramsey pass, he took a touch, looked up and struck his shot directly at the goalkeeper.Adrian denied Sanchez from a half volley and on 44 minutes he pushed away a strike from Ozil, which landed at Walcott’s feet, yards from goal but he skewed the ball high and wide, appearing to lose his balance. 

Giroud was on hand to provide deliverance just before half-time. Ramsey and Ozil exchanged a delicate one-two, but such is the Frenchman’s confidence these days, he nicked it off Ramsey’s foot, took a touch and drove a fine finish into the far corner of the net.

‘It was fantastic because of the combination and the finishing. It was the kind of goal we loved to score,’ said Wenger.

It was his 14th goal of the season in 24 games. That Monaco game aside, he is having an excellent season and since that dismal night, he has responded incredibly well.

‘It’s one of his strengths,’ said Wenger, who called his performance ‘outstanding’.

Having set out to defend in numbers, a change of strategy was necessary for West Ham and they were equal to the challenge.

They came out in the second-half with an entirely different mindset, pushing Arsenal back into their half and searching for an equaliser.

In terms of clear-cut chances there was still little — Matt Jarvis’ curling cross which Ospina spilled and almost let in Sakho was one unsettling moment. But Arsenal were no longer able to play as they wished.

Still, their time would come. On 80 minutes, Giroud dummied a throw-in to let in Ramsey, who played in the Frenchman.

He returned the ball to Ramsey, who drove it past Adrian to cap a fine a performance of growing authority.

Three minutes later Santi Cazorla, on as a substitute, exchanged passes with Giroud and planted a cross almost on the foot of Mathieu Flamini, who had the simplest task of converting from close range for the third goal.

Arsenal have the quality to score three against Monaco, vows Ozil

Arsenal have the quality to score three against Monaco, they just have to believe says German star Mesut Ozil

Arsenal trail Monaco 3-1 after Champions League last 16 first leg

The Gunners need to score at least three times in Monaco to progress

But Ozil insists that his team's good form means they should be confident

Arsenal breezed past West Ham 3-0 at home on Saturday

German playmaker Mesut Ozil has called on his Arsenal team-mates to believe they have what it takes to produce their own miracle result in Monte Carlo on Tuesday night.

The Gunners' hopes of progress to the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition are all but over following a disappointing 3-1 defeat in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last month.

No team has recovered from more than a single-goal deficit going into an away leg in the Champions League era.

Monaco beat nine-man Bastia 3-0 in Ligue 1 on Friday night to extend their formidable defensive record with only seven goals conceded from the last 22 games.

Leonardo Jardim's side did not let in a goal in three home ties during the Champions League group stages, but despite all the odds being stacked against the Barclays Premier League side Ozil feels Arsenal are well worth a gamble.

'When you believe in yourselves, a positive energy grows that you can achieve your aims. In football, things that may look unlikely can happen. I know that if we believe in ourselves and utilise our potential, we can still go through,' Ozil told Arsenal Player.

'We need to score three goals and Monaco are a team that play defensively, but we have to take initiative and score the first goal as quickly as possible to boost our confidence.

'It is going to be difficult to score three times because they have defended well in the tournament so far, but if you look at our past matches and the way we played against Manchester United (in the FA Cup quarter-final) last week, I think there's a chance we can still progress.

'When you look at the Manchester United game, we controlled it and deserved to win the game, that just shows that if we convert what the manager encourages us to do into the games, we can achieve a lot.'

Ozil added: 'We know the quality we have in our team - there are world-class players here.

'Look at our options in attack, where a variety of players can and do score goals. That's a positive for us and we will make sure to give everything in Monaco to advance to the next round.'

Ozil has returned from three months out with a knee injury looking a much-stronger player, covering plenty of ground.

The 26-year-old former Real Madrid midfielder feels he is benefiting from his new training regime.

'I wanted to be as fit as possible when I returned after my injury. I worked on the upper part of my body as well as paying attention to my nutrition,' he said.

'I underwent treatment to get myself fit as soon as possible and to prevent the injury from returning. I am on a good path now.

'I worked really hard and I think it shows in training and in matches that I am fresher.

'I am really happy to be back on the pitch and able to do what I most love.'

Tuesday night will see Wenger return to the Stade Louis II for the first time since his successful spell in charge which saw them win the 1988 French league title and Coupe de France in 1991, as well as reaching the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup final and semi-finals of the Champions League.

Copy cat! Ward mimics Ronaldo with celebration after scoring his first goal for Palace in win over hapless QPR

Joel Ward mimics Cristiano Ronaldo goal celebration as Crystal Palace turn over QPR

• Crystal Palace defeated QPR 3-1 in their Premier League clash on Saturday
• Wilfried Zaha, James McArthur and Joel Wards scored for the Eagles
• Defender celebrated his strike with a Cristiano Ronaldo-like celebration

You know you're having a bad day at the office when Crystal Palace's Joel Ward is celebrating a goal like he's Cristiano Ronaldo. That's precisely what happened to hopeless Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Ward converted Crystal Palace’s third goal inside 42 minutes at a rampant Selhurst Park after earlier strikes from Wilfried Zaha and James McArthur.

And Such was Ward’s enthusiasm with his first goal in close to 100 appearances for the Eagles, you can perhaps forgive him for his rather cringe-worthy celebration.

Picking up the ball inside the QPR penalty area, Ward slotted the ball past Rangers stopper Rob Green with a cool left-footed strike.

The 25-year-old then sprinted off towards the corner flag before leaping up in the air and stretching his arms behind his back.

Ronaldo hasn’t played in the Premier League for the best part of six years following his mega-money move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009.

But for a moment it was as if the world footballer of the year was back in England’s top flight. 

It summed up an embarrassing 45 minutes from QPR who are set to be cast further adrift of Aston Villa as they, along with Burnley and Leicester City, stare at immediate relegation back to the Championship.

In contrast, Palace, flying-high under Alan Pardew, are set to move to within two points of his old team Newcastle in 11th place.

It isn’t the first time a Premier League star has mimicked one of Ronaldo’s iconic celebrations.

Earlier this season, Peter Crouch attracted much hilarity when he puffed out his chest in the same vein as the Real Madrid star after scoring in Stoke’s win against Arsenal.

UFC 185: Dos Anjos stuns Pettis to win lightweight title, Jedrzejczyk makes history and Brit Pearson has knockout success

 Rafael dos Anjos stunned UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis with a dominant performance to become the first Brazilian to win the 155lb title. All three judges scored the fight 50-45 to dos Anjos who started aggressively and never slowed down as Pettis was left unable to see out of his right eye.

Earlier, strawweight Joanna Jedrzejczyk was crowned Europe's first female champion when she stopped Carla Esparza in the second round.

'Everything went perfect during the fight,' dos Anjos said. 'Our strategy was hit hard and make him afraid of my punch and my hands.'

The 30-year-old fought with a knee injury picked up in training three weeks prior to the fight and will now undergo an MRI scan.

Pettis rallied late in the fourth round, but it proved too little, too late.

'He hit me with a left. First punch he threw, I couldn't see out my right eye,' Pettis said. 

Undefeated Jedrzejczyk, meanwhile, looked impressive against Esparza.

The 27-year-old Pole backed the champion up against the Octagon with a flurry of punches before the referee stopped the scheduled five-round bout with less than a minute of the second session remaining..

'I knew I was going to win, but I didn't expect it would be in the second round,' Jedrzejczyk said. 'Every day I'm 100 per cent. That's why I'm here.

'Nobody going to take this belt from me.' 

'She did a great job,' Esparza said. 'There's never an excuse when you lose.'

Also on the UFC 185 card, Johny Hendricks returned to winning ways against Matt Brown.

Having lost his welterweight title to Robbie Lawler last December, Hendricks won by unanimous decision to remain on course for a chance to reclaim the title. 

British star Ross Pearson was also victorious, stunning Sam Stout with a second-round knockout after landing a left hook.

In the heavyweight division, Alistair Overeem won a unanimous decision against Roy Nelson.

Bolt wins first race of the season as sprinter looks for injury-free year

Usain Bolt wins comfortably in first race of the season as sprinter looks forward to injury free year 

• Usain Bolt saw off the field in GC Foster Classic in Kingston, Jamaica
• Bolt ran 400 metres in a time of 46.37 seconds in season opener
• It is not his fastest time over the distance, but his best for over two years 

Jamaican Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt cruised to victory in his first individual race of the season, clocking 46.37 seconds over 400 metres at the GC Foster Classic in Kingston on Saturday.

Bolt, the world record holder at 100 and 200 metres, used the race as part of his build-up for the upcoming season, where he plans to defend his sprint titles at the IAAF world championships in Beijing in August.

'Give thanks for an injury free 400m run,' Bolt, who was slowed by injuries last year, said on his Twitter account.

The six-time Olympic gold medallist came off the final curve comfortably ahead of the field and his time was slightly faster than his last effort at the distance, 46.44 seconds in 2013, but more than a second slower than his personal best of 45.28 in 2007.

In his only other race of the year, Bolt's Racers Lions 4x100 metres relay team wound up second in the Gibson McCook Relays on February 28.