West Bromwich: Victor Anichebe grabbed a late equaliser for relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion to stun Chelsea on Tuesday, with the Premier League leaders barely looking like potential champions in a 1-1 draw.
Chelsea were poised to move four points clear at the top of the standings after defender Branislav Ivanovic's stoppage-time strike in the first half at The Hawthorns.
But Anichebe headed home his third goal of the season in the 87th minute to thwart Chelsea and lift West Brom out of the drop zone on goal difference.
"For 60 minutes there was only one team, and that team couldn't kill the game, especially in the first 15 minutes of the second half," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said. "For (the next) 10 minutes the game was poor, and then for the last 20 minutes only one team and that team fought a lot to get the goal and the point, and in the end they deserve it."
Chelsea are just two points ahead of Arsenal at the top, ahead of the second-place Gunners hosting Manchester United on Wednesday.
Manchester City also have a chance to move to the top by beating Sunderland if Arsenal slip up.
This was a night when the hype following Chelsea's wins over Manchester City and Newcastle were punctured.
Only Willian can claim to have had an impressive game, primarily pulling the strings and setting up Chelsea's goal.
From Willian's corner into the near post, center back David Luiz was left unmarked to flick the ball on with his right foot to the far post where Ivanovic slotted home from three yards (meters).
"In the first half we defended well, limited Chelsea's chances, and in the second we counter-attacked well and showed a good mentality," West Brom manager Pepe Mel said.
After the break Willian enjoyed a further three driven efforts, all of which were saved by home goalkeeper Ben Foster.
At least the home side showed greater attacking intent in the second period as James Morrison fired wide, Thievy Bifouma flashed a shot through the six-yard (meter) box, while captain Chris Brunt sent a half-volley beyond the post.
With Anichebe on for Bifouma in the 73rd minute, the Nigerian glanced home Saido Berahino's cross three minutes from time.
"We were not strong enough to kill the game," Mourinho said. "They had a reaction and we couldn't cope with the reaction. The team stayed back, we were too deep.
"I thought even if I sent on some attacking players it wouldn't help because we were under pressure. It was impossible for my defenders to get out of the first third of the pitch."
A second-half strike by Jose Fonte that needed a green light from goal-line technology gave Southampton a 1-0 win at Hull in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Fonte bundled the ball over the line at the second attempt in a goalmouth scramble in the 69th minute.
The Portuguese defender needed technology to claim his third goal of the season, with Rickie Lambert rifling home on the follow-up after Maynor Figueroa tried in vain to clear the danger.
Both sides hit the woodwork, with Shane Long's header being denied by the post for Hull and Southampton's Jay Rodriguez finding the crossbar during the first half. Jack Cork hit the post for the visitors at the end.
Southampton climbed to eighth, while Hull are 13th - three points above the drop zone.
West Ham continued their revival with a third consecutive 2-0 win in the Premier League on Tuesday after late goals from James Collins and Mohamed Diame secured victory over Norwich.
Collins headed home in the 84th minute and Diame struck in stoppage time to steer the London club to mid-table safety - while Norwich remain at the wrong end of the standings.
Diame provided the cross from the left for Collins to break the deadlock, after Norwich keeper John Ruddy failed to make contact. Having made a goal, Diame went one better after West Ham cleared a Norwich corner and the striker surged clear before on the break before firing home a deflected shot.
West Ham are 10th in the table, while Norwich is 16th.
Cardiff remain in the Premier League relegation zone after drawing 0-0 at home to Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Cardiff dominated the opening half and struck the woodwork through Fraizer Campbell and Craig Noone's deflected shot, but could not find the net.
Villa offered no threat during the opening 45 minutes but could have taken all three points had Leandro Bacuna and Gabriel Agbonlahor shown better composure in front of goal.
Ultimately this was a game Cardiff needed to win, and one Villa was happy enough to avoid losing.
Villa climbed five points clear of the drop zone, but Cardiff remain 19th with just two wins from its last 17 league games.
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