LONDON: Chelsea eked out a 1-0 victory at London rivals West Ham United to stay five points clear in the Premier League on Wednesday, with the top five winning on a night English football held its breath after another player collapsed at White Hart Lane.

Eden Hazard headed in a first-half goal for Chelsea at Upton Park before the leaders rode their luck to reach 63 points and stay on course for a second trophy this season to go alongside the League Cup they captured on Sunday.

Second-placed Manchester City, who have played a game more than the leaders, stayed in touch by beating Leicester City 2-0, although goals by David Silva and James Milner masked an unimpressive display by the champions, who dropped captain Vincent Kompany.

Behind the top two, the race for Champions League qualification remains tight following victories for Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool that kept the teams separated by three points.

Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal a 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers to keep them above Manchester United who beat Newcastle United 1-0 with an 89th-minute goal from Ashley Young after a terrible mistake by Newcastle keeper Tim Krul.

Arsenal have 54 points with United on 53 — two ahead of in-form Liverpool for whom Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge clinched a 2-0 win over Burnley at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis was said to be “fine “despite being stretchered off after collapsing on the pitch in the early stages of his side’s 3-2 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, who are seventh on 47 points with a game in hand.

Gomis fell to the ground in a similar area of the field to where Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest playing for Bolton against Tottenham in an FA Cup match in 2012.

“Bafetimbi Gomis is fine. He went to hospital as a precaution, but he is fine. That’s the main thing,” Swansea manager Garry Monk said.

Everton’s worrying league form continued in a 2-0 defeat at Stoke City who climbed to eighth after a third straight win.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2015

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