Chelsea failed to solidify their place in the top four after being held to a frustrating goalless draw at Leeds United.
In total the two teams produced 22 shots but lacked the decisive final touch as they had to settle for a point on a difficult surface at Elland Road.
The result sees Chelsea extend the gap to West Ham to three points but should results go against them in the coming weeks they could drop from fourth to seventh spot as the Hammers, Everton and Tottenham all have two games in hand.
Meanwhile, the Peacocks failed to leapfrog Arsenal into the top half of the table ahead of their north London derby with Spurs this weekend.
Goals are far from free-flowing for Thomas Tuchel‘s side
The Blues kept their 10th clean sheet in 12 matches since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival in London but going forward they have only scored 13 goals in the same period. And Chelsea’s goalscoring problems continued as they lacked the ruthlessness in the final third to convert any of their eight shots on target against Leeds.
However, Tuchel refused to be too critical of his side as he said: ‘There was enough chances yes, but sometimes it is like this and I don’t want to be too harsh. Sometimes it happens, it is hard to score and that we miss some big chances so it finishes 0-0.
‘As long as we have chances and as long as we have a lot of touches in the box and then we don’t concede too many chances the results will usually be positive but we need to accept the result today.
‘Of course it gives us confidence again to not concede but the boys are disappointed with the result in the dressing room which is a good sign.’
End-to-end start in an open game
The game started at an intense pace as both sides went back and forth in search of the opening goal.
Kai Havertz, who was influential in the Blues’ previous match against Everton, almost made a goal when he looked to turn home Christian Pulisic’s cross but Luke Ayling was there to take the sting out of the effort so Illan Meslier could collect.
Just 17 seconds later Leeds had the ball in the back of the net themselves through Tyler Roberts, who tapped into an empty goal. However, it was disallowed as the provider Patrick Bamford was ruled offside.
The hosts almost calamitously gifted the lead to Chelsea as Ayling cleared onto his own team-mate Diego Llorente. The ball looped over Meslier and on to the crossbar before falling kindly into the arms of their French keeper.
The to-and-fro nature of the match continued and it was the Peacocks’ turn to strike the crossbar. Roberts’ deft effort from the edge of the box seemed destined for the top-right corner before Edouard Mendy scampered across to get a last ditch fingertip on to the ball to push it on to the frae of the goal.
Much of the same in the second half
The second half kicked off in a similar quick-paced fashion and Havertz was allowed to run freely into the penalty box but hit his shot straight at Meslier who palmed over the bar.
Soon after, the German had another chance but this time failed to make sufficient contact from six-yards out and his header from Hakim Ziyech’s cross fell tamely into the keeper’s hands.
However, as the game went on it was Leeds who looked the more likely to score. Raphinha spurned a golden opportunity to open the scoring as his shot bounced into the ground allowing Mendy to fling a hand out and stop the Brazilian’s effort despite having dived past the ball.
Llorente then tried his luck after the ball came out of the box from a corner but his shot was deflected just over the bar by Reece James.
The resulting corner saw substitute Rodrigo have a free header on goal but he followed the pattern of finishing in the match as the strike was straight at Mendy to collect.
The Blues put Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi on in search of the winner but they failed to create any more chances to steal all three points.
What‘s next for both sides?
Chelsea now head into a crucial week of their season as they face Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the second leg of their Champions League tie, before facing Sheffield United at the weekend in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Whereas, Leeds face relegation contenders Fulham on Friday evening as they look to push into the top half of the table.
