The big news: Blues held, but extend lead to nine points

Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield as Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet saved a crucial penalty towards the end of the Premier League clash on Wednesday. Chelsea were first to get on the scoresheet with David Luiz making it 1-0 in the first half of the encounter. However, in the second, Georginio Wijnaldum scored a superb header in the 57th minute to restore parity.

Late in the game, Diego Costa was fouled by Joel Matip in the box and referee Mark Clattenburg pointed to the spot. However, Simon Mignolet saved Costa’s low kick to deny Chelsea to make it 2-1. The draw did not matter to Chelsea in the end as they extended their lead to nine points, after Arsenal lost to Watford at home and Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw at Sunderland. The two North London clubs traded spots at second and third, with the Spurs moving up on goal difference. Liverpool maintained their spot at fourth.

Football:

  • Bengaluru FC will not feature in the group stages of the 2017 AFC Champions League, after a 2-1 loss to Jordanian champions Al-Wehdat in a qualifying clash at the King Abdullah International Stadium in Amman on Tuesday. 
  • Arsenal were stunned 2-1 by Watford at the Emirates as their title hopes suffered a huge blow. This was Watford’s first win against the Gunners since 1988. Younes Kaboul and Troy Deeney scored within the first 15 minutes of the encounter to give Watford a 2-0 lead. Alex Iwobi netted for Arsenal in the second half, but that was all they could muster.
  • Crystal Palace registered their first win under Sam Allardyce as goals by Scott Dann and Christian Benteke helped them beat Bournemouth 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
  • Watford have sold their striker Odion Ighalo to Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai for £20 million. Ighalo joined the Hornets in 2014 from Italian side Udinese and helped Watford win promotion to the Premier League in 2014-’15. 
  • Crystal Palace have signed Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho on loan for the rest of the season. Palace will pay a £2 million as a loan fee for Sakho. 
  • Southampton have acquired Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini. Gabbiadini signed a four-and-a-half year deal in the region of £14 million.
  • Sunderland frustrated Totthenham with a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday.       
  • Mohun Bagan beat Colombo FC 2-1 on Tuesday in Colombo in a preliminary stage tie of the AFC Cup.
  • Shillong Lajong registered their third straight win in the I-League with a 2-0 victory against Chennai City at the JLN Stadium in Shillong on Tuesday. 
  • India’s under-17 coach Nicolai Adam has agreed to resign from his post in lieu of complaints made by several players about the German’s abusive behaviour.

Cricket:

  • India take on England in the third and final T20I in Bangalore on Wednesday. The three-match series is tied 1-1.
  • West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has been banned for one year from cricket for a whereabouts clause violation by an anti-doping panel in Kingston. 
  • All-rounder Hardik Pandya will lead India A against Australia in a three-day warm-up match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai between February 16-18. Australia face India in the first Test on February 23 in Pune. 
  • Tamil Nadu skipper Abhinav Mukund was the only surprise inclusion in the 15-man Indian squad that would play Bangladesh in a one-off Test in Hyderabad later this month. Parthiv Patel was dropped as Wrddhiman Saha made a return to the side.