Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle United came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at his former club Liverpool — whose French centre-back Mamadou Sakho has failed a drugs test — to inch to within a point of safety.
With Sakho watching from the stands after the revelation that he is being investigated by European governing body Uefa over a doping violation — reported to concern a weight-loss drug — Liverpool were pegged back by Benitez’s Newcastle at Anfield.
Daniel Sturridge chested down a high ball and swivelled to fire Jurgen Klopp’s side in front inside two minutes, with his England colleague Adam Lallana bending in Liverpool’s second goal on the half-hour.
But Papiss Cisse brought the visitors back into the game with a 48th-minute header before Jack Colback drove in a deflected 66th-minute leveller to take Newcastle to within a point of fourth-bottom Norwich City and prevent seventh-place Liverpool closing on the European berths.
Eden Hazard, last year’s Player of the Season, scored his first two league goals of the campaign — a year since his last — as outgoing champions Chelsea won 4-1 at Bournemouth to climb to ninth.
Pedro Rodriguez and Willian were also on target for Chelsea, with Tommy Elphick hitting back for the home side.
Meanwhile, Dusan Tadic scored twice, in between headed goals from Shane Long and Sadio Mane, as Southampton won 4-2 at relegated bottom club Aston Villa, for whom Ashley Westwood scored twice.
Leaders Leicester City can take another step closer to a fairytale title triumph on Sunday when they welcome Swansea City to the King Power Stadium.
But should Claudio Ranieri’s men slip up again, a week on from their 2-2 draw with West Ham United, second-place Tottenham Hotspur can take advantage at home to West Bromwich Albion on Monday.
Earlier, Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice as Manchester City tuned up for their Uefa Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid by sinking Stoke City 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Richard Jolly was at the Etihad Stadium and recounts a perfect afternoon for City.
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