Chelsea missed out on the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at Stamford Bridge.
The home side struggled to find their feet in the opening stages of the game, although with just 11 minutes on the clock they managed to edge ahead courtesy of Diego Costa’s first goal in seven outings.
Branislav Ivanovic created the opening for his teammate, swinging in a cross into the middle, which the unmarked Spaniard headed beyond a rather helpless Fraser Forster.
Despite the early setback, Southampton soon grew into the game themselves, coming close to levelling things up almost instantly when Dusan Tadic forced Thibaut Courtois into making a solid stop down low. The danger did not end there for Chelsea, though, as the Serb latched onto Sadio Mane’s flick to curl an effort wide of goal from the follow-up attempt.
The Saints, who have won just one of their last 11 meetings against the current league leaders, did manage to bring the score level on 19 minutes when Tadic just about converted from the spot straight down the middle after Nemanja Matic was adjudged to have felled Mane inside the box.
Costa headed wide from the Blues’ best chance to retake a first-half lead, but the better openings fell the way of the visitors who ended the opening 45 minutes on top.
Courtois had to be alert to hack the ball clear at his front post following a scare at the back, before Mane got the ball stuck under his feet when played into a good position by Shane Long.
In the second half, Chelsea were inches away from retaking the lead when Wilian blasted an effort at goal, which Costa managed to divert towards goal with his right foot, but following a further deflection the call cannoned off the post.
Tadic almost carved out a moment of magic for the Saints when he used good skill to beat two defenders in the box before teeing up Long, but his strike was well blocked by Cahill.
The Blues spurned the chance to pull ahead as Willian lifted a pinpoint cross for the head of Oscar, but the midfielder could only head straight at Forster, while Hazard failed to turn the rebound home from a tight angle.
Oscar was presented with another opportunity minutes later when he drove forward down the left and blasted a strike towards goal, which forced Forster into another fine stop.
As Jose Mourinho’s men pushed forward for a winner they left gaps open at the back, which could have been exploited by Mane, but he blasted his first attempt over the bar, while on a second break the forward lost control of the ball at the vital moment.
Chelsea made one last surge forward, but were denied a late winner as Forster made a good reaction save to deny Loic Remy, and from the rebound John Terry’s first strike hit Cahill on the line before putting his second effort wide of the post.
The Saints held out for the draw, leaving Mourinho’s men to rue their missed chances as they failed to take full advantage of Manchester City’s defeat to Burnley