Tottenham needed to win to keep alive their hopes of a first title since 1961 and they looked on course to win at the home of their bitter London rivals for the first time in 26 years after Harry Kane and Son Heung Min gave them a 2-0 halftime lead.

Tottenham and Chelsea players face off. Photo: ANDY RAIN, EPA.

But the 2015 champions roared back into the game when Gary Cahill finished smartly from a corner and eight minutes from time Eden Hazard scored with a brilliant curling effort to equalise.

Leicester, who were bottom of the table last Christmas, began this season at 5000-1 odds to lift the trophy after needing a late push to avoid relegation a year ago.

Their previous best finish in the top division was second in 1929.

Fans celebrate in the streets of Leicester. Photo: Jonathan Brady, PA/AP.

The result sent fans into raptures and sparked wild celebrations across Leicester – although some on this side of the world failed to see what the fuss was about.

Leicester was playing in the second tier only two years ago, came close to be relegated again last year and started this season as 5000-1 outsiders for the title.

“It’s the best feeling of my career and I couldn’t be prouder that it’s as part of this team. Everyone’s worked so hard for this, nobody believed we could do it, but here we are, Premier League champions and deservedly so,” captain Wes Morgan told the club website.

The Foxes missed a chance to seal the title on Sunday when they were held by Manchester United but deposed champion Chelsea ensured the party wasn’t delayed any longer.

Tottenham had to win at Chelsea to keep its bid for a first title since 1961 alive and led 2-0 thanks to goals from striker Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, before Chelsea staged a second-half fight back to draw in a fiery London derby where tempers frayed and tackles flew in from everywhere.

Centre-half Gary Cahill pulled a goal back for Chelsea early in the second half, and with Tottenham clinging on, the equalising goal was scored by Eden Hazard.

Hazard’s goal was almost a year to the day since his strike won the title for Chelsea, which is 29 points behind Leicester.

Chelsea’s collapse has been as astonishing as Leicester’s surge to the top of the standings it was bottom of last April.

Leicester will collect the trophy on Saturday when it hosts Everton at the King Power Stadium.

English soccer has not had a maiden champion of the top flight since Nottingham Forest in 1978.

And for the last 20 years the Premier League trophy has never left London or Manchester, with Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City sharing the trophy between them.

Unlike that title-winning quartet or 1995 champion Blackburn, Leicester has achieved its success without lavish spending on its squad.

Chelsea’s draw also ensured Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri became a league title winner for the first time in his career, 12 years after the 64-year-old Italian was fired by the Blues.

“Let’s do it for Ranieri,” read one Chelsea fan’s banner at Stamford Bridge where the trophy was presented to Chelsea last May.

With Leicester seven points clear with two games left, Tottenham need three points to secure runners-up spot.

“First of all, congratulations to Leicester City and to Claudio Ranieri. A fantastic season,” Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

“I’m very disappointed but now we have to fight for second place… a massive, amazing season for Leicester, Claudio the players and the fans. They deserve it.”

A bad-tempered game produced a rash of yellow cards and several players were lucky to stay on the pitch while tempers boiled over at fulltime.

Some Leicester players were gathered at the house of 22-goal top scorer Jamie Vardy as Tottenham was playing Chelsea, and defender Christian Fuchs tweeted a video of players celebrating.

CHAMPIONS!!!! pic.twitter.com/pFtvo5XUNx

— Christian Fuchs (@FuchsOfficial) May 2, 2016

-AP, Reuters, AAP