LONDON, Jan 2, (AFP): Chelsea’s bid to retain the Premier League title suffered another blow as struggling Aston Villa snatched a dramatic 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side were on course for a crucial win after late goals from Didier Drogba and John Terry, but Ciaran Clark equalised in stoppage time and the reigning champions are now in severe danger of losing touch with the main title contenders.
Even a Champions League spot isn’t certain for fifth-placed Chelsea. The Blues have won just once in eight league games and are six points behind leaders Manchester United, who also have a game in hand.
Ancelotti conceded the result will make it harder to lift morale at the Bridge.
“We needed to win this game. We didn’t and now it’s more difficult to prepare for the next game,” he said.
“I’m disappointed because we worked very hard in the second half to come back into the game when 2-1 down.
“We did a fantastic job, we came back and scored to make it 3-2 and everyone thought the game was finished.”

Frank Lampard put Chelsea in front with a 23rd-minute penalty, but Ashley Young levelled from the spot four minutes before half-time.
Villa took the lead when Emile Heskey headed in Stewart Downing’s cross in the 47th minute.
Drogba equalised in the 84th minute and it looked as though Chelsea would steal the points when Terry netted in the 89th minute.
But in stoppage time the Chelsea defence went to sleep and Clark beat the offside trap to head in the leveller.
Villa boss Gerard Houllier was delighted with the way his side fought back and he said: “That was a huge demonstration of personality and character.
“The fighting spirit was there. We picked an experienced team because we thought that would be best but the goal at the end was made by our two youngest players.”

Newcastle 1, Wigan 0
In Wigan, Shola Ameobi fired Newcastle to a 1-0 victory at Wigan that left the struggling Latics deep in relegation trouble.
Ameobi’s first-half goal was enough to seal Newcastle’s second win under new boss Alan Pardew and leave Roberto Martinez’s team just one point and one place above the bottom three.
While Newcastle are safely in mid-table at the start of the New Year, Wigan face a grim struggle to beat the drop.
Newcastle created the first chance after just two minutes as Danny Simpson swung a cross into the box from the right.
Ameobi was allowed the space to meet it but the striker was unable to find the target, heading the ball back across the face of goal.
Wigan went close themselves as a failed clearance from Ben Watson’s free-kick fell to Tom Cleverley, whose curling shot drew a smart save from Steve Harper.

Cleverley was presented with another chance on the quarter-hour mark after receiving a neat pass from Mohamed Diame, but the on-loan Manchester United youngster volleyed over the bar.
Just as Wigan were beginning to hit their stride, they fell behind in the 19th minute. Steven Gohouri was robbed by Joey Barton, who struck an effort that Ali Al Habsi managed to parry. Peter Lovenkrands prodded the loose ball against the post and Ameobi was on hand to tuck away the rebound.
At the other end Cleverley’s deflected shot from the edge of the box earned Wigan a corner that Latics skipper Gary Caldwell headed against the bar, with Hugo Rodallega lifting the rebound over.

Newcastle were next to hit the woodwork soon after as Fabricio Coloccini looped a strong header onto the bar from the edge of the box.
Lovenkrands nodded a good chance over from a cross by Barton and the former Manchester City man sent a free-kick off target just before the break.
Mauro Boselli was then introduced in place of Jordi Gomez to give Rodallega fresh support in attack, but it was Newcastle who nearly scored 10 minutes later as yet another header hit the crossbar.
This time it was Steven Taylor denied after he got on the end of Barton’s free-kick.
Boselli claimed his shot had been blocked by Taylor’s hand in the box, but referee Howard Webb waved play on.