Tottenham holds Chelsea 1-1 to stay 3rd in league

By Rob Harris

Associated Press

Published: Thursday, Dec. 22 2011 7:06 p.m. MST

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Tottenham Hotspur's Emmanuel Adebayor, centre, celebrates after scoring a goal as Chelsea's John Terry, left and goalkeeper Petr Cech react during their English Premier League soccer match at Tottenham's White Hart Lane stadium in London, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011.

Alastair Grant, Associated Press

Summary

Tottenham maintained the edge over Chelsea in the Premier League's top four, holding its London rival to a 1-1 draw on Thursday to retain a two-point cushion in third.

LONDON — Tottenham maintained the edge over Chelsea in the Premier League's top four, holding its London rival to a 1-1 draw on Thursday to retain a two-point cushion in third.

Emmanuel Adebayor fired the hosts ahead after eight minutes but the sting was taken out of Tottenham's fast start when Daniel Sturridge leveled 15 minutes later.

Despite a double-injury blow for Chelsea in the first half — losing both Branislav Ivanovic and John Obi Mikel — Tottenham lacked the fluency to produce a winner against the makeshift visitors.

Chelsea's second successive draw left it just a point above fifth-place Arsenal and 11 points behind leader Manchester City.

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