Chelsea and Manchester City ended their footballing years with draws to maintain first and second positions in the Premier League table, but both had reasons to feel aggrieved that they didn't claim all three points from their respective matches.
Chelsea were the first of the title favourites to play on Sunday but found Southampton back in their early season form, as they went behind to the Saints in the first-half when Sadio Mane outpaced the defence to coolly clip his shot beyond Thibaut Courtois, but came back to draw through the finishing ability of the silky Eden Hazard. With Morgan Schneiderlin back in the side, Saints seem an all together more formidable outfit and so it proved again. He was sent off for two yellow cards late on, but it was too late for the Blues to claim a winner. Jose Mourinho was clearly unhappy with the officiating afterwards, calling the decision to turn down an apparent stonewall penalty on Cesc Fabregas (which resulted in his playmaking midfielder being booked in the aftermath) a "scandal", as he searched for explanations for the mystifying decision.
Manchester City were chasing a club record tenth successive victory as they faced second bottom Burnley at the Etihad, but could only manage a disappointing 2-2 draw despite leading by two goals at half-time. Burnley had started brightly but went behind as David Silva pirouetted in the box to slot home with his left foot. Then City displayed admirable patience to work an opening before Fernandinho rattled a sweetly struck right foot shot in off the underside of the bar.
The second-half saw the away side spring out of the blocks again, but this time with better rewards for their endeavours as Danny Ings' cross shot was seemingly flicked in by George Boyd from what looked to be an offside position.
Despite being unsighted, Tom Heaton then turned a low Samir Nasri shot around the post as City tried to finish their opponents off, but Burnley maintained their threat throughout and a long cross fell nicely for Ashley Barnes to smash an unstoppable shot past Joe Hart for the equaliser. It was probably a deserved point for the away side, but City will feel that they dropped the tempo and allowed them back into the game as they perhaps missed the midfield drive of Yaya Toure.
