man city 0-0

Times:

Chelsea's stumble gives hope to rivals
By Russell Kempson
Chelsea 0 Manchester City 0

THERE IS LIFE IN THE BARCLAYS Premiership title race after all. Just when Arsenal thought that their crown had gone and Manchester United believed that the game might be up, too, Chelsea showed their human frailties by dropping their first points in nine matches. It was Manchester City who lowered Chelsea’s colours at the City of Manchester Stadium in October — the only time that José Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, has experienced a Premiership defeat since he arrived in England last summer — and it was City who again offered a glimmer of hope to Arsenal and United at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Mourinho has done all the calculations. In his programme notes, he said: “We need nine wins and a draw to make the title ours”. Having failed to score for the first time since losing 1-0 to City, 17 league matches ago, the Portuguese did a quick recount. “OK, now we need just the nine wins,” he said wryly.
Defensively sound, as always, and keeping a ninth successive clean sheet, a top-flight record, Chelsea were unable to break down a City side showing similarly stubborn qualities. An unusually tetchy Mourinho found it difficult to accept, his praise of City little more than grudging. “It was an undeserved result for us,” he said, “because only one side had chances to score. We tried everything but City fought a lot and were a bit lucky.

“The championship is over 38 matches and some you win, some you lose, some you draw. Every point is a point gained and we are still nine ahead. I don’t know of any other club in Europe who has that lead. It was not a result that we wanted, but a point is better than zero.”
Kevin Keegan, the City manager, was not enamoured. “We came here with a plan and we knew we had to work very hard,” he said. “We did the little things well that made the big things happen for us. When you’re top and have lost only once, Chelsea are not going to get teams coming here and taking them on. José has got to give a bit more credit to opponents sometimes.”

Respectful in the tunnel beforehand, with not a hint of the ugly antics at Highbury on Tuesday night, Chelsea and City showed a healthy respect for each other throughout. Too much really. Apart from a blatant dive from Mateja Kezman as he brushed past Richard Dunne, which Dunne paid him back for soon after with a crunching challenge, there was little to commend the early period.

Keegan had done his homework, his fluent and forceful midfield formation smothering the forward thrusts of Jiri Jarosik and Frank Lampard. City had already drawn against United at Old Trafford and Arsenal at Highbury and were ready for the equally daunting trip to West London. It was a chance, too, for Shaun Wright-Phillips, the City midfield player, to impress the watching Sven-Göran Eriksson, the England head coach, before the friendly match against Holland at Villa Park on Wednesday night.

Wright-Phillips did not disappoint, making a series of jinking runs on the right wing. That Eriksson is more likely to use him on the left, keeping David Beckham on the right, should not blunt his instincts. Wright-Phillips would play anywhere for England and Wayne Bridge, the England and Chelsea left back, will not have faced many trickier opponents this season.
The first half improved, with Chelsea launching a sustained assault on David James, the City goalkeeper. England’s former No 1 was up to it, saving from Damien Duff, Jarosik and Kezman in quick succession. Not quite good enough for him to get the nod ahead of Paul Robinson at Villa Park, but encouraging nonetheless. Eriksson has an in-form No 2 and even when James was beaten, by a header from William Gallas, Paul Bosvelt scrambled the ball away. “Robinson still knows that he’s got a fight on his hands,” Keegan said.

Chelsea’s defensive excellence was not without its occasional lapse. When Robbie Fowler stooped to meet a cross from Wright-Phillips, he guided it past a post with Petr Cech stranded. Joey Barton and Wright-Phillips had opportunities also but, having made room for their shots, they failed to trouble Cech.
Without Arjen Robben, their injured sorcerer, Chelsea grew frustrated. There was no one to pick the City lock, no one to capitalise on their smart approach work. “Arjen is a magnificent player,” Mourinho said. “When a magnificent player is not playing, you miss him.”
Eidur Gudjohnsen raged at the apparent injustice of it all, collecting a booking for kicking the ball away in disgust, and was denied in stoppage time by a marvellous last-ditch tackle from Dunne. Again, he shook his head in despair, much as Lampard did minutes later when James battered away his volley.
The “Colegate Affair”, the alleged illegal courting of Ashley Cole, the Arsenal left back, may have unsettled Chelsea, but the loss of two points against City was not quite as scandalous as Mourinho made out.

Chelsea extend the great divide
By Bill Edgar

MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND but it makes the football world go pear-shaped. At least it does to domestic competition in England, where gaps in standards are becoming so vast that the Barclays Premiership is a Promised Land that has split into two countries. This season the top flight is on course to provide the greatest distance between the top three and the bottom three since league football began in 1888. Not only are Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal on the way to producing the best performance of a top three — as measured by the points total of the third-placed team — but West Bromwich Albion, Southampton and Norwich City are on course to be the second-worst bottom three — as gauged by the points tally of the third-last side.

We have compared the 106 seasons of league football by assuming three points for a win throughout (a victory earned two points until 1981) and adjusted tallies proportionately as if each campaign had contained 38 games, which is the present length. The results show that while the top three are powering away, fuelled by regular income from the Champions League, the bottom three, who often include newly promoted clubs who are relatively impoverished, are increasingly prone to struggle.

At their present rate, Chelsea will accrue 95 points, Manchester United 82 and Arsenal 79. Even though Arsène Wenger’s side would trail José Mourinho’s by 16 points, they would have recorded the highest number of points, proportionately, by a third-placed team. Of the next six best returns by a side finishing third, three occurred in the past six seasons, twice by United, last term and in 2001-02, and once by Chelsea, in 1998-99.
The big three have played a combined 78 Premiership matches this season, losing only seven, but, since three of those defeats came against each other (United did the double over Arsenal and Chelsea beat United, while Arsenal and Chelsea drew at Highbury), the record of the trio against the rest is four losses in 74 games. Take into account FA Cup and Carling Cup ties (again not including those involving two of the big three), and their overall record is four defeats in 87 domestic matches, or one in every 22 fixtures.

Matters are almost as extreme at the other end of the Premiership table. At the present rate, West Bromwich will finish with 25 points, Southampton 28 and Norwich 29. Nigel Worthington’s men are on course to record the second-lowest number of points among third-bottom teams, proportionately, in history, with only Queens Park Rangers faring worse with their tally (adjusted from two to three points for a win and from 42 to 38 games) of 28 in 1978-79, when Birmingham City and Chelsea were below them.

Given the positions of the top three and bottom three, it is no surprise that the gap between third and third bottom is on course to be the largest ever, with 50 points separating Arsenal and Norwich. Two of the four previous greatest such distances in history have come in the past three seasons, underlining the recent decrease in competitiveness. Last term, third-placed United and third-bottom Leicester City were 42 points apart, while two years earlier, the gulf between United and Ipswich Town, who filled those positions, was 41 points.
This season, the gap will almost certainly be more than 34 points for the sixth year in seven, whereas such a large difference occurred only seven times in the previous 99 years. The smallest gap was the ten points (allowing for adjustment) between Newcastle United, in third, and Stoke City in 1901-02.

As for the supremacy of Chelsea, their projected points total of 95 would constitute comfortably the best top-flight season ever statistically had Preston North End not managed an outstanding opening league campaign in 1888-89, when only 22 games were played. Unbeaten after 18 wins and four draws, their adjusted total will be beaten only if Chelsea win their remaining 12 Premiership fixtures.

Chelsea’s remarkable defensive record has prompted comparisons to the great Liverpool side of 1978-79, but the latter’s adjusted points total was 89, six fewer than the number that Mourinho’s team are on course to achieve. Manchester United totalled 91 in 1999-2000, the season after their treble, and Arsenal managed 90 when remaining undefeated last season. With Chelsea seemingly set to better that, it is remarkable to think that Arsenal’s feat, for all the tributes they received, may be only the third best in the past six years. Given the increasing quality gap, teams newly promoted to the Premiership should be supplied with passports so they can travel to the other side of the Promised Land.

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Guardian:

Jaded Chelsea lose lustre to stubborn City
James to the fore as inspiration evades home side
Kevin McCarra

Manchester City are a bunch of eccentrics, but do not ask Jose Mourinho to find them lovable. A side beaten by Oldham in the FA Cup have somehow found a way to draw away fixtures with all three of England's leading clubs in the Premiership. Yesterday, Chelsea lost their knack of rolling on where Manchester United and Arsenal have stalled. They still hold a lead of nine points in the table and the Premier League may have to confiscate a few from them over the alleged tapping of Ashley Cole if Mourinho's palms are to start sweating. None the less, Sir Alex Ferguson's observation that Chelsea are no longer playing so well may be a fact as well as a ploy on United's part.

The Stamford Bridge team put down a marker here which they will feel like crumpling and tossing in the bin. With Petr Cech in goal, they have set a record for the top division in England of nine consecutive clean sheets. It was, however, the feats of the opposing goalkeeper which resonated yesterday.
David James generally did well and, for instance, got his legs in the way of a Frank Lampard free-kick that flew through the defensive wall after 72 minutes, but it was in stoppage-time that he gave the game its defining moment.

Paulo Ferreira delivered a free-kick which was eventually knocked back across goal by John Terry, and Lampard cracked a volley which James, showing uncanny reflexes, palmed away with enough strength of hand to push it to safety. The Chelsea midfielder, who could be proud of his technique, must have wished he had come up with a mis-hit to wrongfoot the goalkeeper.
All the same, it was not the fates who conspired against Chelsea. Mourinho's side had not failed to score in the Premiership since their sole defeat, away to City in October. If they were stifled again, it must be because Kevin Keegan's players are capable, at their best and most motivated, of composed resistance.

Just before James made his save a vigilant Richard Dunne came across to clear from a corner when, for a second, the substitute Tiago seemed to have presented Eidur Gudjohnsen with an opening to score. The alertness of the centre-back, though, was echoed throughout the line-up.
There were chances but no sieges from Chelsea because City scrambled their build-up in midfield. Players such as Joey Barton produced strong tackles but they were also inclined to be capable in their passing just when the Stamford Bridge team thought they were about to assume control.

It was the visitors who had the simplest invitation to score. On a counter-attack six minutes prior to half-time, Barton flighted a good ball to the wing. Shaun Wright-Phillips then supplied the England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson with evidence that he can play on the left of midfield by beating Claude Makelele and steering over a cross. Terry slipped, but a lunging Robbie Fowler sent his header wide.

There was no indication that Chelsea would have mustered the verve to shake off a goal then. Two principal factors brought a jaded tone to their display: they were leg-weary after a harsh contest on Blackburn's pitch and they were without influential figures.
The absence of Arjen Robben is ominous and Chelsea are still not sure how badly his ligaments have been damaged or whether the Dutchman has broken a bone in his foot. It hampered Mourinho that the injured Didier Drogba was also unavailable to pit his power against that of Dunne and Sylvain Distin.

Worse still, others did not really compensate for the disadvantages. All the images of Mateja Kezman were unhappy ones until he was taken off. It felt like a manifestation of his lack of confidence that he seemed to prefer to go down early in the game, when Dunne had actually avoided touching him, instead of surging for the penalty area.

Despite his incessant scoring in the Netherlands he has only one Premiership goal on his record and even that was notched from the penalty spot, against Newcastle United. Misfortune seems to stay on the trail of such men as they go through a wearisome period.
In the 34th minute, for instance, he could not convert after a Damien Duff attempt had broken back off James. Most of the 42,093 crowd groaned as the replay of the miss was shown but the ball had flown sharply and inconveniently to Kezman. If Robben will be missing for a while, though, Mourinho needs someone better or luckier than the Serb in attack.
As it was, set pieces were Chelsea's most productive device. William Gallas, slackly marked, directed a downward header from Duff's corner after 38 minutes, but it was blocked by the efforts of Paul Bosvelt and James on the goalline.

The mayhem was intermittent for Chelsea. Kezman, fortunate for once, enjoyed the break of the ball to set up Duff for an attempt after 54 minutes which James tipped away from the on-rushing Gudjohnsen, but a lull followed instead of an onslaught.
It is no tragedy for Chelsea that they could not win their ninth Premiership match in a row but they would have preferred to keep their lustre as they approach a difficult spell which begins with a trip to Everton on Saturday. They then go to Newcastle in the FA Cup and Barcelona in the Champions League before the League Cup final with Liverpool.

"That coat's from Matalan," the gleeful City fans chanted at Mourinho. Implausible, but Chelsea did not look sharp.
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Independent:

James halts Chelsea to give United fresh hope
Chelsea 0 Manchester City 0
By Sam Wallace

Suddenly there is the faintest glimmer of hope in the title race for Manchester United, and it has been delivered from the unlikeliest of sources. It was with some self-deprecation that Kevin Keegan joked yesterday that tactics were not his "strongest point", but no one in the Premiership has a better record this season against the virtuoso football strategies of Jose Mourinho than the former England coach.

The lead Chelsea hold over United at the top of the Premiership still stands at nine points, but the psychological implications of the two they have dropped may yet be more widespread. Mourinho pointed out tartly that there is not a club in any of the top leagues in Europe who hold such an advantage at this stage of the season, but the end of a run of eight wins in a row had plunged the Portuguese coach into a dark mood.

He snapped back at questions over the Premier League's inquiry into the "tapping up" of Ashley Cole and refused to discuss the injuries to Arjen Robben and Didier Drogba that now seem more significant than ever. When it came to City's display, he acknowledged the outstanding contribution of David James, but despaired at the defensive tactics of the opposition.

In October, City became the only team to beat Chelsea in the Premiership this season with a victory in east Manchester. With the achievements of Mourinho's side since then, yesterday's result was greeted with incredulity by an away support who taunted the Portuguese manager with the most inventive chant of the season. As he rose from the dug-out in his trademark grey overcoat they sang "Your coat's from Matalan".

But there was nothing cut-price about the team that Mourinho selected, with Damien Duff their chief threat in the absence of Robben. He led the way in a spell of Chelsea pressure at the end of the first half that James dealt with superbly. He saved the Irishman's near-post shot on 33 minutes and then tipped Frank Lampard's effort over the bar. William Gallas' header from a corner was scooped off the line by Paul Bosvelt.

For all their pressure, Chelsea could not prevent Shaun Wright-Phillips escaping down the left wing and beating Claude Makelele just before half-time. He picked out Robbie Fowler at the near post and, as John Terry slipped, the City striker put his header wide. But Mourinho would not accept his opponents were serious about attacking.
"It's an undeserved result in my opinion because only one team had real chances," he said. "But we couldn't score and they fought a lot, defended a lot and had a great goalkeeper. They were lucky and they got a point. Before the win we needed nine wins and a draw to win the title and now we only need nine wins."

It was not luck, however, that kept out Lampard's volley from eight yards deep into added time. Terry won a header in the area and the ball dropped nicely for his England colleague with just James to beat. He struck the ball low and hard to the goalkeeper's right, but James' hand deflected the shot away from a busy area full of Chelsea attackers.
Mourinho did not repeat the accusation he lodged against Tottenham, that their defending was no more subtle than the proverbial bus parked in front of a goal, but he was reminded by Keegan that teams would not come to Chelsea to attack. "I don't know what it is like in Portugal, but in England when you play teams like Chelsea you have to be sensible," he said. "What he [Mourinho] has to learn to do is to give credit to other teams - there are two in every game."

In defence for City, Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin were outstanding, but they were still not as crucial as James. Before the City area was inundated with shots at the very end of the match, James kept out another stinging free-kick from Lampard after 72 minutes.
It might not be enough to earn him a place in the England team this week, but he and his City team-mates did at least give the rest of the Premiership a small clue as to how Mourinho's points-gobbling blue machine might be stopped in the future.

Chelsea (4-5-1): Cech; Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Gudjohnsen, Jarosik (Tiago, 56), Makelele, Lampard, Duff; Kezman (Cole, 62). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Johnson, Smertin.
Manchester City (4-4-2): James; Mills, Dunne, Distin, Thatcher; Wright-Phillips, Barton, Bosvelt, Musampa; Fowler, Sibierski (McManaman, 86). Substitutes not used: Weaver (gk), Macken, Onuoha, Jordan.

Referee: H Webb (South Yorkshire).
Booked: Chelsea Makelele, Gudjohnsen; Manchester City Bosvelt.
Man of the match: James.
Attendance: 42,093.----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:

Chelsea frustrated by defiant James
By Henry Winter

Chelsea (0) 0 Man City (0) 0

Chelsea drop points once in a Blue Moon, yet they were again frustrated by Manchester City yesterday. Having lost at Eastlands earlier in the season, Jose Mourinho's Premiership pacesetters were held at Stamford Bridge by Kevin Keegan's well-organised, well-motivated side, for whom David James was the model of athletic defiance in goal.
Going nowhere: Danny Mills stands up to Damien Duff Mourinho was slightly dismissive of City's sweat-stained efforts, unfairly so as Keegan's visitors brimmed with resilience and intelligence, particularly in central midfield, central defence and between the posts. "One team tried to win and couldn't while the other tried for a point and got one," reflected Mourinho, whose team now lie nine points ahead of Manchester United.

"This was an undeserved result. City fought a lot, defended a lot, had a great keeper, were lucky and got a point. But we still have a nine-point lead and I don't know any team in Europe with a nine-point lead. Not in Spain, Italy or Germany." Do not mention throwing away nine-point leads too loudly in front of Keegan.
City's manager did observe that "Chelsea will probably win the championship," but urged Mourinho to adopt a touch of humility. "Jose Mourinho has been great for English football," Keegan said. "Manchester United and Arsenal winning everything was getting boring - for me. What Mourinho has to learn to do is to give credit to other teams."

The arrogance that can grip parts of the Bridge - caution after years of title disappointment colours others - was reflected on the back of the shirt of a Chelsea fan standing close to Mourinho in the dug-out. "Champions - it's only a matter of time," read the shirt. Meanwhile, City supporters close to Mourinho were castigating the Portuguese for his fashion sense. "That coat's from Matalan," chanted the visitors.

What Mourinho most lacked yesterday was the pacy, prolific Arjen Robben, who was hobbling around the Bridge on crutches. The statistics speak - make that scream - volumes. In 16 games with the Dutchman, Chelsea have scored 41 times. In 10 matches without him, Mourinho's men have netted only eight times. "Robben is a magnificent player and you always miss that," said Mourinho, who is still waiting to find out whether the Dutchman has broken his foot.
Robben's understudy, Mateja Kezman, should have been cautioned for a dive in the opening minutes. James then began displaying his enduring excellence, saving superbly from Kezman and Frank Lampard. As the game wore on, James grew even greater in stature, brilliantly blocking a low Lampard free-kick with his legs. Then, to the disbelief of the Bridge, James somehow flung himself to his right to claw away a meaty Lampard strike. "When I saw it was Lampard pulling the trigger, I thought "Oh no," Keegan said. "Lampard can't miss at the moment but for a big man like James to get down so quickly was fantastic."

James was marvellous, yet he was well protected by the outstanding Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin. "We have taken a lot more pride in our defending this season," said Dunne, who has taken a lot more pride in his career. Danny Mills and Ben Thatcher were the models of commitment at full-back, while Joey Barton and Paul Bosvelt completely disrupted Chelsea's usual central creative sources. Lampard probably arrived home last night to find Barton waiting in his front garden.

Mourinho dismissed City's occasional attacking threat. "Robbie Fowler fought a lot but I don't remember a shot from him," Mourinho said. "I didn't see Shaun Wright-Phillips."
Admittedly, the diminutive City winger did sometimes disappear behind huge divots, but the could be spotted racing behind Mourinho's full-backs. The England international even popped up on the left, which will have interested the watching Sven-Goran Eriksson, and whipped in a low ball that Fowler headed wide. "We didn't just come here and park our bus in front of our goal," smiled Keegan.

Match details

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Jarosik (Tiago, 56), Makelele, Lampard; Gudjohnsen, Kezman (J Cole, 62), Duff. Subs: Cudicini (g), Johnson, Smertin. Booked: Makelele, Gudjohnsen.

Manchester City (4-4-1-1): James; Mills, Dunne, Distin, Thatcher; Wright-Phillips, Barton, Bosvelt, Musampa; Sibierski (McManaman, 85); Fowler. Subs: Weaver (g), Macken, Onuoha, Jordan. Booked: Bosvelt. Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).www.telegraph.co.uk/winter

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Sun:

By SUN ONLINE REPORTER

JOSE MOURINHO'S Chelsea were unable to break down a resolute City side at Stamford Bridge. The scoreless draw leaves Chelsea with a nine point lead at the top of the Premiership and City unbeaten against Chelsea. The crucial moment came in the last minute when City keeper David James somehow kept out Frank Lampard's close range volley. That amazing save must rekindle James' England hopes. He said: "I’m in the squad so I’m happy at the moment, and if I get the chance to reproduce that sort of form for England I’m ready."

But Mourinho - who claimed he was untroubled by a probe into Chelsea's alleged approach for Ashley Cole - felt the Blues clearly deserved victory. He said: "I prefer to say my players in finishing situations weren’t lucky and they had in David James a goalkeeper who made incredible saves to get them the point." "Only one team had chances to score goals, but we couldn’t score and they fought a lot, defended a lot and had a good goalkeeper.

They were lucky. "We tried everything, had unbelievable chances. "Before this game we needed nine victories and a draw - now we need nine victories." Mourinho confessed Chelsea missed the influence of striker Didier Drogba and especially winger Arjen Robben. He added: "When you have more players, you have more options and more chances to win. "I think we did enough to win the game but we have a lead of nine points - still very good for us."

Early on Mateja Kezman almost created an opening for himself when latching onto a poor headed clearance 25 yards out. But after knocking the ball past outstanding centre-back Richard Dunne, the Chelsea striker then theatrically went to ground - and could count himself fortunate not to be cautioned by referee Howard Webb. City were not without their attacking threat, particularly through England man Shaun Wright-Phillips, the tenacious midfielder causing plenty of concern for the home backline with his turn of pace. As the quarter-hour mark approached, the match was still devoid of a clear-cut chance at either end of the pitch.

John Terry was busy, though, when twice making telling blocks in the 17th minute. First the England centre-half charged down Sibierski’s pot-shot at point-blank range on the edge of the box, before then cutting out Wright-Phillips’ low centre after the City midfielder had twisted past two markers on the right flank. Visiting captain Sylvain Distin then out-paced Kezman as the Serbia and Montenegro forward chased a long ball down the Chelsea left, tapping back to keeper David James, who made no mistake with the clearance. In the 22nd minute, Webb kept his cards in his pocket again as Danny Mills clattered into Terry, a manoeuvre which looked like retaliation for the Chelsea captain’s strong aerial challenge on Wright-Phillips moments earlier. Sibierski was floored following a clash of heads with Terry but the City player was, thankfully, soon back on his feet and in the action again following some quick treatment.

With 32 minutes gone Fowler tried his luck with a snap-shot from just outside the penalty area, but Chelsea number Petr Cech - who had not conceded a goal for a record 781 minutes before this afternoon’s match - collected comfortably low at his near post. Duff found enough space in the left-hand side of the area to test David James with a low drive. The England keeper got down well to parry, but spilled the ball. However, Kezman could not turn it in from no more than a yard out, haplessly stabbing his shot. James then tipped Jarosik’s header over from Frank Lampard’s corner and stood up to block Kezman’s angled drive as the Premiership leaders stepped up the pace.

The City goal was leading a charmed life, as in the 38th minute Paul Bosvelt somehow scrambled William Gallas’ header off the line. On the break, the visitors then had a gilt-edged chance themselves when Wright-Phillips chased a long punt across field into the left channel. The England winger turned Gallas, before pulling the ball back along the six-yard box. Terry slipped at the vital moment, handing Fowler a free header. But with the whole goal to aim at, the former Liverpool striker sent his diving header wide. With five minutes to go before the break, Claude Makelele was cautioned for going in from behind on Sibierski. Neither side made any changes after the break, and Kezman quickly tested James with a low shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area. There was a scare for the hosts, though, in the 50th minute.

A long punt towards the Chelsea box was not dealt with and Joey Barton seized on the loose ball, drilling a shot across Cech’s goal and only a few feet wide of the far post. In the 54th minute Chelsea went close again. Kezman fed Duff into the left edge of the box. His low centre flew across the six-yard line and a touch from James meant the ball just eluded Gudjohnsen’s outstretched boot at the far post. Wright-Phillips then drove the ball wide after another strong run from midfield, before the Chelsea physio had to contend with two cut lips, Terry needing treatment following a clash with Barton and Cech after collecting the ball at Fowler’s feet. In the 57th minute, Tiago replaced Jarosik, with Cole then coming on for Kezman just after the hour mark. Gudjohnsen lost his temper after a free-kick was awarded against him on the edge of the City box - and earned a needless caution when kicking the ball away in frustration.

Kevin Keegan’s men were soaking up immense pressure now as Chelsea pressed hard to try to break the deadlock. But they continued to look dangerous on the break, with Wright-Phillips ensuring the home defence remained focused as the game entered the final 20 minutes. Dunne said: "It’s just the way we are this season - we’ve done well against the good teams so it wasn’t much of a surprise that we could do that sort of performance. "There were tackles flying in everywhere and everyone did their part to keep the point. "We’ve improved on the defensive part of our game this season and today was one of those days where we all dug in and defended well."

And keeper James insists mid-table City can still earn a top-six finish. He said: "The thing that has let us down has been our consistency. We play well against the decent sides - Chelsea haven’t scored against us this season. "We’ve got some tough games to come, it’s Manchester United next, and we need to win against the lower sides. But I think we’re quite capable of finishing sixth or seventh."

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN: DAVID JAMES (Man City). Spoiled Chelsea’s day with a series of truly stunning saves.

Dream Team ratings

Chelsea:Cech 6, Makelele 6, Lampard 7, Kezman 6 (Cole 6), Duff 7, Gallas 6, Bridge 6, Ferreira 6, Gudjohnsen 6, Terry 7, Jarosik 6 (Tiago 6). Subs not used: Cudicini, Johnson, Smertin. Booked: Makelele, Gudjohnsen.

Man City:James 9, Thatcher 6, Distin 7, Fowler 6, Sibierski 6 (McManaman 5), Musampa 6, Mills 7, Dunne 7, Barton 6, Bosvelt 6, Wright-Phillips 8. Subs not used: Weaver, Macken, Onuoha, Jordan. Booked: Bosvelt.