Chasing pack gets boost after Blues hit a wobble

CHELSEA’S unexpected misstep at Sunderland has given their rivals fresh hope that the Premier League leaders might not be quite as infallible as their early-season dominance has suggested.

Jose Mourinho’s team remain unbeaten, but his big guns misfired in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland, allowing defending champions Manchester City to trim their lead to six points with a 3-0 success at Southampton.

Mourinho named an unchanged XI for the trip to the Stadium of Light, but although they failed to break down Gus Poyet’s hard-working Sunderland, centre-back Gary Cahill felt they had earned a valuable point.

“I think we are a different side to last year – not just personnel, but mentally I think we are different,” he told Chelsea TV.

“They made it a scrap, but we matched that and managed to play our football as well.

“When teams sit back and get back in that shape, it’s very tough. We saw that last year and this was no different.

“But in these sorts of games, if you don’t get the breakthrough, it’s important we don’t lose the game, and it’s a point away from home.”

Chelsea will be without top scorer Diego Costa due to suspension tomorrow when they host Tottenham Hotspur, who impressed on Sunday by coming from behind to win 2-1 at home to Everton.

City’s recent wobble appears to be behind them after they survived the dismissal of Eliaquim Mangala to see off Southampton at St Mary’s.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side will hope to further erode Chelsea’s lead when they head to Sunderland tomorrow.

Remarkably, City have lost 1-0 on their last four visits to Wearside and when asked if that sequence was likely to continue, Brown said: “After this result [against Chelsea], there’s always a possibility.

“Every game, we go into the game looking to win it and if we show the same commitment again, I’m sure we’ll have chances.”

Southampton will look to reassert their top-four credentials when they visit Arsenal, who ended a two-game losing run by winning 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The fixtures are: Tonight: Burnley v Newcastle United, Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, Leicester City v Liverpool, Manchester United v Stoke City, Swansea City v Queens Park Rangers, West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United.

Tomorrow: Arsenal v Southampton, Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur, Everton v Hull City, Sunderland v Manchester City. — AFP