Chelsea open 7-point lead

Chelsea took a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League on Saturday as they beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park and Manchester City could only draw 1-1 with Hull City.

Branislav Ivanovic scored a late winner for the Blues while only a last-gasp James Milner free kick spared the blushes of City.

With 14 games remaining for both sides, Chelsea have a hand on the trophy.

Eden Hazard gave the visitors an early lead but Jores Okore headed an equaliser just after the break – Villa’s first league goal in 659 minutes of play – but they were beaten by a superb finish from full back Ivanovic.

Steven Gerrard came close to being a hero on his final derby at Goodison Park but Liverpool eventually had to settle for a point.

Gerrard, who will be leaving the club at the end of the season, was denied a free-kick winner by Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles and then saw an acrobatic overhead kick deflected wide by Steven Naismith.

Everton failed to register a shot on target until the 86th minute when Simon Mignolet made a good save from Seamus Coleman.

The home team seemed content to settle for a draw which left them in mid-table and Liverpool four points off a Champions League spot.

At the Etihad Stadium, substitute James Milner struck a superb injury-time free-kick as City rescued a point with a 1-1 draw against Hull.

The champions looked to be heading to a potentially damaging defeat in their title chase after David Meyler struck for relegation battlers Hull after 35 minutes.

But after a dismal first-half performance, the home team showed greater urgency in the second half and had a penalty appeal turned down and also hit the woodwork before Milner scored from set-piece.

At White Hart Lane, Harry Kane’s late header proved to be the winner as Tottenham came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 in the North London derby.

The Gunners made the short, four-mile journey to the Lane looking to secure a sixth successive victory and dampen their bitter rivals’ hopes of a top-four finish.

An early Mesut Ozil goal put them on course for just that, only for Spurs to produce a thrilling, and deserved, comeback, with Kane’s second-half brace securing a 2-1 win.

At the King Power Stadium, Crystal Palace’s fine run under new manager Alan Pardew continued as a Joe Ledley goal earned the Eagles a 1-0 win against Leicester City.

The Welshman headed in the only goal of the game early in the second half to secure their third win in their last four league game since the former Newcastle manager succeeded Neil Warnock in the dugout.

Sadio Mane struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Southampton edged a 1-0 victory at Queens Park Rangers.

Mane smashed home the only goal of the game in the third minute of time added-on, to move the Saints up to third place on the log.

Sunderland earned a hard-fought point in their bid to avoid relegation after holding Swansea City to a 1-1 draw at the Liberty Stadium.

Jermain Defoe grabbed his second goal in as many games in firing the Black Cats into 1-0 half-time lead but Ki Sung-yeung headed home an equaliser in the 67 minute.