LEICESTER stayed on course to become the English Premier League’s (EPL) most unlikely champion. The side beat Watford 1-0 away to extend its lead to five points with just nine games remaining.

    Riyad Mahrez grabbed Leicester’s winner at Watford with his 15th goal of the season, controlling the ball at the edge of the area and curling an exquisite shot into the top corner in the 56th minute.

    Leicester’s title charge had already received a boost earlier in the day when Tottenham squandered the lead in a pulsating London derby at White Hart Lane.

    With Gunners midfielder Francis Coquelin sent off after Aaron Ramsey’s 39th minute opener, Arsenal looked in trouble when Tottenham hit back with two goals in three minutes from Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane after the interval.

    But Arsenal, criticized after successive league defeats last week, recovered to equalize through Alexis Sanchez with 14 minutes remaining.

    “I am proud of the spirit, but going down to 10 men was the big regret for the day and it was hard to take,” said boss Arsene Wenger, whose side is eight points behind Leicester.

    Although they wasted a chance to go top for the first time in seven years, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino was still satisfied. “I am pleased. It’s true, when it was 2-1 I am little bit disappointed with the result, but we have to be happy we keep the three-point gap to Arsenal,” Pochettino said.

    At Eastlands, Manchester City ended a run of three successive league defeats with a 4-0 rout of Aston Villa at Eastlands.

    Midfielder Yaya Toure broke the deadlock in the 48th minute and Sergio Aguero doubled the lead two minutes later.

    Aguero struck again in the 60th minute and Raheem Sterling added the fourth six minutes later before Aguero squandered a chance for a hat trick when his penalty hit a post.

    Manuel Pellegrini’s fourth-placed side remained 10 points behind Leicester, while woeful Villa is slipping closer to playing in the second tier for the first time since 1988 after its fourth consecutive defeat.

    Chelsea warmed up for its crucial Champions League showdown against Paris Saint Germain with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

    With Diego Costa rested ahead of the last 16, second leg against PSG, who hold a 2-1 advantage, Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore bagged his fourth goal in his last five appearances in the 39th minute.

    But Chelsea was pegged back five minutes from full-time when Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf headed home.

    (SD-Agencies)