Blackburn put the brakes on Chelsea again

Chelsea were held to a 2-2 home draw by their bogey team Blackburn Rovers on Saturday as the big-spending London club dropped their first po...

Chelsea were held to a 2-2 home draw by their bogey team Blackburn Rovers on Saturday as the big-spending London club dropped their first points of the English Premier League season.

With Manchester United and Arsenal both in action on Sunday, Chelsea took centrestage but just as they have done for the past 19 years in the league, Blackburn managed to avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge. Newcastle United’s miserable week continued when they lost 1-0 at home to Birmingham City while Mark Viduka’s late goal helped Leeds United to a 3-2 win at unlucky Middlesbrough. Two goals for striker Barry Hayles, making his first start since November, and one for Luis Boa Morte gave Fulham a 3-0 win over a poor Tottenham Hotspur, their first win at White Hart Lane for 55 years.

Liverpool beat local rivals Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park, Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel scored twice to help Aston Villa to a 3-1 victory over Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers drew 0-0 with Portsmouth in the battle between two of the promoted clubs and Bolton Wanderers against Charlton Athletic also ended goalless.

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Champions Manchester United visit Southampton on Sunday, when Arsenal take on Manchester City. Chelsea had swept all before them this season with four wins in the Premier and Champions Leagues but found themselves trailing inside a minute on Saturday as striker Andy Cole scored neatly on the turn.

Romanian forward Adrian Mutu equalised for the hosts on the stroke of halftime but Cole struck again on the hour after goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini missed a cross.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink levelled from the penalty spot three minutes later and though Chelsea dominated from then on, not even the introduction of their latest big-name signing Hernan Crespo could produce a winner.

“In 10 years they have won seven and drawn four — they are our bogey team,” Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said of battling Blackburn.

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“We played well in spells but we must kill the opponent when we are playing well. We didn’t finish them off and in the last 10 minutes it was very difficult to find some space.” (Reuters)

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