LONDON: A classic Premier League clash between Chelsea and Liverpool ended up 2-2 at Stamford Bridge but the real winners were runaway leaders Manchester City.

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah catapulted Liverpool into a commanding 2-0 lead inside half an hour, only for Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic to fire a four-minute riposte before half-time.

Thomas Tuchel dropped club-record signing Romelu Lukaku, with the fallout from the Belgian’s recent interview claiming unhappiness in London deemed “too noisy” in the build-up to facing title rivals Liverpool.

The Chelsea boss will take partial vindication as the Blues clawed their way back from the brink to earn a point and hold on to second place in the table.

The Reds pitched up at Stamford Bridge with their own problems too, with manager Jurgen Klopp, goalkeeper Alisson Becker, defender Joel Matip and forward Roberto Firmino absent due to suspected positive Covid-19 tests.

Both sides cast their troubles aside in a madcap encounter however, where Mane ended a 10-game goal drought and Salah struck his 16th of the league campaign.

Kovacic thundered home his first goal in 13 matches and Pulisic steered in to end a 10-game dry spell to boot.

A hectic second half could not separate the sides, leaving both likely reasonably satisfied with the draw.

** Danish defender Mads Roerslev’s first goal for Brentford provided a 2:1 victory over Aston Villa. Brentford hit back from a goal down to overtake Steven Gerrard’s men to move up into the comparative safety of 12th place.

Roerslev also provided the assist for Yoane Wissa’s equaliser after Villa went ahead through Danny Ings. He said: “It’s a great feeling. It means so much to the crowd.”

** Pressure eased on manager Marcelo Bielsa after Leeds beat relegation-threatened Burnley 3:1. Goals from Jack Harrison, Stuart Dallas and Dan James ended a run of three successive defeats in which they had conceded 14 goals.

Dallas said: “That’s brilliant, a relief more than anything. We knew this was a huge game.” Burnley have won only once in the Premier League and next face Leicester, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.

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