Man City 1-1

Independent:

Frank Lampard shows no joy after denying Chelsea victory

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1

By SAM WALLACE

In the pre-match briefing document prepared for his players on Manchester City’s strengths and weaknesses, Jose Mourinho will no doubt have noted the tendency of the opposition’s No 18 to make late runs into the penalty area and score important goals.

After all, Frank Lampard has made a career out of doing just that: the problem, even at the age of 36, is stopping him doing it.

His 85th-minute equaliser was the most dramatic twist in an afternoon that took its time coming to the boil but was well worth the wait. The equaliser was a genuine double-take moment. Having connected with James Milner’s cross and denied Chelsea victory, Lampard embarked upon the most mawkish, low-key goal celebrations in the history of players scoring goals against former clubs.

Forty years since Denis Law did the same for City against Manchester United, Lampard took that particular art to a new, even more understated level. For the travelling support who had sung Lampard’s name all afternoon, in defiance of any suggestion there is animosity, it was one of those moments they will find very hard to forget.

The mood was very different on the City bench, where Manuel Pellegrini had sent Lampard on as a 78th-minute substitute for Aleksandar Kolarov with his team a goal down and reduced to 10 men following the red card for Pablo Zabaleta on 66 minutes. They had been beaten home and away last season in the league by Chelsea and another defeat for Pellegrini, always just a few degrees below boiling when it comes to facing Mourinho, would have been hard for him  to take.

As ever this was a Mourinho performance somewhere on the spectrum between brilliance and cynicism, and when his substitute André Schürrle struck with less than 20 minutes left, he must have believed he could win.

Pellegrini later accused Chelsea of a “small team” mentality and having come to City only to defend. Mourinho spat back that the City manager should stick to his former promise not to talk about Chelsea. The dismissal of Zabaleta will do nothing to change Pellegrini’s mind, with the City view very much that Diego Costa, Mourinho’s alter ego on the pitch, played a key part in the red card.

Nevertheless, Lampard’s late equaliser was the kind of twist of the knife for Mourinho that he is more accustomed to inflicting than sustaining. He flatly refused to discuss Lampard post-match, a sure sign that he felt it keenly. The suggestion was that Mourinho wanted to give Lampard another year’s contract but the club felt that it was time to move their all-time record goalscorer on and so he went to New York City – and then to their sister club on loan.

It was a game that burst into life in the last 25 minutes. Before then there were some intriguing personal battles on the pitch – nowhere more than Vincent Kompany against Costa – but there was too much at stake for either team to commit to the kind of attack that would force  the issue.

You would be hard-pressed to recall a significant chance before the break. On 29 minutes the ball sat up nicely for Fernandinho on the edge of the Chelsea area and he sliced his shot so badly he turned his back on it immediately in disgust – it did not even go out for a goal-kick.

There were only three different names in the Chelsea first XI to the side Mourinho selected in February in the 1-0 win for Chelsea at the Etihad. They were Thibaut Courtois for Petr Cech, Cesc Fabregas instead of the departed David Luiz and Costa in place of Samuel Eto’o, now also gone. On paper this is a better Chelsea team, but then Pellegrini was not about to make the same mistakes either.

He took a risk by selecting Eliaquim Mangala in the centre of defence, a risk given that he had not previously played a single competitive minute for the club since his transfer from Porto. In the event, Mangala had an assured game alongside Kompany, while in the midfield they traded fouls. Cesar Azpilicueta was booked for a kick on David Silva; Silva and Yaya Touré were booked for challenges on Willian.

By far the standout chance of the game in that first hour fell to Sergio Aguero on 57 minutes when he turned away from Fabregas in the box and hit a shot low to the left of Courtois which the young goalkeeper did well to stop. It fell invitingly for Edin Dzeko in the area but Ramires, always a useful man in an emergency like that, reacted first and got the ball away.

These are the small details upon which a game can turn. Five minutes later, Mourinho brought on Schürrle and John Obi Mikel, moved Fabregas into the No 10 position and soon after Chelsea scored. At the centre of it all was Zabaleta’s red card, a tangle with Costa that ended badly for the Argentine. You could not help but feel that he played into the hands of the striker.

Zabaleta was already on a booking when he went into the challenge with Costa, initially winning the ball and then, when he went back in for a second bite at it, fouling his opponent. The Chelsea man made the most of it, rolling over, squaring up and then prising Zabaleta’s conciliatory hand off his head. It all added to the drama of the incident, and when the dust had settled, Mike Dean showed a yellow card to both men.

Zabaleta had fouled Costa but whether it measured up as another booking given some of the other tackles during the afternoon is dubious. Bacary Sagna was sent on for Dzeko. City’s shape was shot.

The goal was beautifully worked by Chelsea, coming from the left to Branislav Ivanovic, on to Costa and then out wide to Eden Hazard on the right. He sent his cross to the back post and it was met by Schürrle with his left foot.

City were desperate not to go down again at home to Chelsea and Lampard came on for Kolarov with 12 minutes left, with the away fans singing his name. Shortly afterwards, Costa hit the post and then Milner, who had been excellent, picked out Lampard for the goal. He had to leave Chelsea at some point, and one supposes this summer was as good as any. Even so, it was a hell of a way to say goodbye.


Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov (Lampard, 78); Fernandinho (Navas, 73), Toure; Milner, Silva, Aguero; Dzeko (Sagna, 70).

Substitutes not used: Caballero (gk), Demichelis, Clichy, Nasri.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Matic; Ramires (Schurrle, 62), Willian (Mikel, 62), Hazard; Costa (Drogba, 86)

Substitutes not used: Cech (gk), Felipe Luis, Oscar, Remy.

Booked: Manchester City Zabaleta, Silva, Toure Chelsea Ramires, Azpilicueta, Costa, Ivanovic

Sent off: Zabaleta

Referee: M Dean

Man of the match: Kompany


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Guardian:

Manchester City rely on Frank Lampard’s late strike to deny Chelsea

Man City 1 - 1 Chelsea


Daniel Taylor at Etihad Stadium


For a few seconds Frank Lampard looked almost overcome with awkwardness. He had been on the pitch seven minutes, making his first home appearance for Manchester City, when the ball came to him in the position that used to be his trademark for Chelsea, back in the days when he was establishing himself as the most prolific scorer there has ever been at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard struck his shot with the power and precision that has formed the stamp of his career, picking his spot to the right of Thibaut Courtois, and what a dramatic way to introduce himself to his new crowd, just as the match had been threatening to turn into an ordeal for the champions and Chelsea were close to extending their immaculate start to the season.

Until that moment it had been the away end serenading the former England international. Now it was the City supporters loudly proclaiming his name and, remarkably, Lampard might actually have gone on to win the match. With the clock ticking down, the next chance that came his way enticed more memories of all those times when he had scored vital goals from the edge of the penalty area. This time his shot came back off his old mate, John Terry, prostrate on the turf, and Lampard was spared any more of the post-match apologies that began with his slightly contrite wave to the away fans after the final whistle.

It was a dramatic finale out of keeping with the rest of the match and City, a man down after Pablo Zabaleta’s red card, ought to feel immense relief bearing in mind the eight-point gap that was threatening to open up between the sides. They did show great resilience but from José Mourinho’s perspective he will regard it as unusual carelessness not to have held on against 10 men.

At 1-0 it had looked for all the world as if City were going to suffer again at the hands of Mourinho’s tactical nous, with more than a sprinkling of deja vu from when the two sides met here last season. Again, it was a match of few chances, with Chelsea defending in numbers, displaying all their qualities of structure and organisation. Courtois had been just as redundant as Petr Cech in the corresponding fixture in February and it was only five minutes after Zabaleta’s sending-off that Eden Hazard put the ball across the six-yard area for the substitute André Schürrle to slide in and open the scoring at the far post.

That would usually have been the position for Zabaleta to guard and he, more than anyone, owes Lampard a debt of gratitude. Zabaleta is a hero in these parts, afforded a standing ovation as he left the pitch, but the cries of “one-nil to the referee” felt like a crowd looking for an excuse that was not really there.

Mike Dean had an erratic afternoon but a player of Zabaleta’s experience, already booked for bringing down Hazard, really ought to have known better than to go in from behind on Diego Costa twice in succession. His first was risky enough but the second connected with Costa’s calf and Chelsea’s new signing is not the kind of man who accepts those indignations easily. His reaction inflamed the situation and quite possibly that was deliberate on his part. The bottom line, however, is Zabaleta put his team at risk.

As tends to happen when Mourinho comes up against Manuel Pellegrini, the game was followed by a lack of pleasantries, with Chelsea’s manager resorting to his old trick of getting an opponent’s name wrong, in this case “Mr Pellegrino”. Mourinho’s real beef, however, was almost certainly about the way his team surrendered a winning position. Costa struck the post when he had a chance to make it 2-0 after 81 minutes and by that point City had been restricted to only a couple of opportunities.

The game had been largely devoid of penalty-box drama yet it was still a captivating spectacle seeing these two heavyweights of the modern game slugging it out. It was an epic tussle, epitomised by that little cameo in the first half when Vincent Kompany and Costa went for the same ball, holding their ground like two warring old stags.

They did not give an inch before Kompany finally emerged with the ball and it was that kind of brute strength and raw determination that marked out the contest rather than the occasional moments of skill.

By half-time there had been six bookings and two of the players on yellow cards, Fernandinho and David Silva, could conceivably have been sent off. It was a contest for midfield supremacy and that might not have made it gripping in an orthodox sense but the various duels – Yaya Touré versus Nemanja Matic, Fernandinho against Willian, James Milner versus César Azpilicueta – still held the crowd’s attention. At one end John Terry and Gary Cahill created a formidable barrier for Edin Dzeko and the strangely subdued Sergio Agüero to pass. At the other end Kompany was immense and Eliaquim Mangala can be encouraged by his debut.

City had been on the verge of their first back-to-back home matches without a league goal since November 2010 when Milner turned the ball into Lampard’s path and nobody really should have been too surprised by his absence of celebration.

Man of the match Fernandinho (Manchester City)


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Telegraph:

Frank Lampard comes off the bench before scoring equaliser against former club for 10-man City

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1

By Henry Winter, Football Correspondent Etihad Stadium


Frank Lampard holds a special place in the Chelsea record books and in the hearts of their fans. Even when their club’s all-time leading scorer, “Super” Frank Lampard, equalised for Manchester City here, Chelsea supporters continued to sing his name. He cost them two points but had given them 13 unforgettable years. Lampard will always be in credit in their ledger of loyalty.

At the end of a contentious, slightly surreal encounter, Lampard walked over to thank the away fans, who waved banners and chorused his name again in return. Little sportsmanship resides in football in the cynical modern era so it was an impressive reaction by the Chelsea contingent.

Eulogising an erstwhile employee who had just thwarted them, who had wrecked their unblemished start to the season, inevitably triggered a debate amongst many Chelsea supporters but the general conclusion seemed to be that Lampard would always be above reproach, especially as he did not celebrate the goal.

Chelsea fans have done this before, saluting an old friend dressed in the clothes of a foe. They lauded Didier Drogba when he returned to the Bridge with Galatasaray. They chanted the name of Gianfranco Zola when he was manager at West Ham. They praised Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink when he scored against them for Charlton Athletic in 2006. Chelsea fans don’t forget.

“I had 13 amazing years with Chelsea fans,’’ Lampard told Sky afterwards. “I’m obviously pleased the team I played for got a draw. I’m professional. I’m playing at this club now. I came on and Chelsea fans were singing [his name] and that was emotional.’’

Lampard’s intervention, rolling back the years with a well-timed run on to a pass from James Milner with six minutes remaining, was the most dramatic moment in a remarkable last half-hour to this chess match between the country’s elite pair.

Lampard’s goal was totally deserved for a City side who fought back admirably from going a man down, when Pablo Zabaleta was controversially dismissed after 65 minutes, and going a goal down when André Schürrle capped a majestic counter-attack after 70 minutes.

Lampard brought sanity to the scoreline. It would have been an insult to sporting justice had Eliaquim Mangala, a muscular, mobile centre-half making an accomplished debut, finished on the losing side. It would have been affront had Milner’s tireless contribution of running and passing and tackling not received some reward.

City certainly answered those who had questioned their levels of dynamism and strength of character. They were by far the more assertive side, even if Manuel Pellegrini’s post-match jibe at Chelsea being a “small team” was a cheap shot.

Jose Mourinho was in a slight huff, refusing to talk about Lampard but everyone else was. He scored 211 in 648 games for Chelsea. His departure from the Bridge this summer brought much anguish. The editor of the influential cfcuk fanzine, David Johnstone, declared himself “broken-hearted”.

As an editorial in last month’s cfcuk declared: Lampard’s “loan move to City will do nothing to lessen the love and respect for him”.

He won three Premier League titles, one Champions League and eternal love at Chelsea, admitting it was “a wrench” leaving, but also having mentioned a year ago that he could not envisage himself playing for another Premier League club. Times change. He needs to keep fit, keep busy before he starts his new adventure at New York City. Chelsea fans understood.

When he made his debut for City in their televised game against Arsenal on Sept 13, cheering could be heard in Chelsea pubs on Fulham Broadway.

Lampard was always more than an employee for the club, more than the work and the goals and match-day contribution. Lampard represented Chelsea with style and dedication. It is no surprise to hear that Lampard has been staying on after training at Carrington, practising his shooting, doing the drills that he has always done, that prepare him for the key moments as with six minutes left here.

For 65 minutes, though, this felt rather like after the Jamie Vardy Show, a poor follow-up to the fireworks at the KP. City, in fairness, had started as hungrily as the entrants in the pie-eating competition staged outside.

Milner muscled his way down the line, Sergio Agüero wriggled into the box and Zabaleta crossed from the right. Edin Dzeko headed wide and then had a shot blocked by the diving Gary Cahill. From a David Silva corner, Yaya Touré powered in a header but straight at Thibaut Courtois. It felt like City had been stung by the criticism, by comments from the likes of Gary Neville that they were an ageing force, that they lacked intensity.

Manuel Pellegrini chose his most physically robust XI. Given their respective starts to the season, City had to take the game to Chelsea.

Chelsea were subdued. Mangala, was a mix of power and stealth in timing his interceptions. Diego Costa could not escape Mangala or Vincent Kompany. City charged around, pressing Chelsea, hunting the ball, not holding back. Zabaleta received his first caution for a foul on Eden Hazard, hardly the most violent offence but the referee, Mike Dean, was showing little mercy, constantly taking names.

Dean then overlooked City’s legitimate appeal for a penalty early in the second half. Branislav Ivanovic first fended off Touré as the Ivorian ran into the box, and then caught him with his leg but Dean waved play on. City kept up the pressure, Milner playing the ball across for Sergio Aguero to turn and bring a low save from Courtois.

The game then burst into life. For such an experienced professional, Zabaleta went in too vigorously on Costa, forgetting he was on a booking. Costa responded by pushing Zabaleta, who then began the slow walk to the tunnel, applauded by the City fans all the way. Costa could easily have followed him for grabbing Zabaleta by the throat.

Chelsea took the handbrake off, taking the lead with a counter-attack of speed and beauty. Hazard began the move on the right, turning inside and sweeping a cross-field pass to Fabregas, so commencing an odyssey defined by intelligent decision-making and precise passing. Fabregas touched the ball to Ivanovic, who passed it on to Costa. He quickly wrong- footed Aleksandar Kolarov and released Hazard, who had continued his run down the right.

Schürrle was also on the move, running from right to left, arriving at the far-post just as Hazard’s cross came in, leaving the German with a straightforward left-footed finish. The World Cup winner has this heightened awareness of how a move will develop and is becoming a master at making the right runs as against Burnley earlier in the season.

Chelsea could easily have added a second. Joe Hart saved a Costa header and then was relieved when the Spaniard’s shot hit a post. The home fans beseeched their team for a reaction, chanting “we’re Manchester City, we’ll fight til the end”. And they did. Cue Lampard. He could even have won it but Terry blocked his shot. “He’s been doing that in training for years,’’ Lampard smiled.


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Times:

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1

Contrite Frank Lampard pops up to earn Manchester City a point

Oliver Kay Chief Football Correspondent


Rarely will a goal so significant be marked with such sincere contrition from the scorer. Modern football is full of self-regarding muted celebrations when players score against a former club, but in the case of Frank Lampard yesterday, having done to Chelsea what he did 211 times on their behalf over the previous 13 years, the air of sadness was genuine.

Lampard will move to New York City — the new Major League Soccer franchise set up by Manchester City — long before the points are totted up at the end of this Barclays Premier League campaign. It is far too early to know what impact his 85th-minute equaliser yesterday will have, but at very least it denied Chelsea the opportunity to move eight points clear of City at the top of the table.

Until Lampard’s late intervention, as a substitute, this was going to be the story of another classic Chelsea victory away from home: backs against the wall in the first half, but resilient, tactically disciplined and utterly clinical on the counter-attack when André Schürrle, also a substitute, rounded off a superbly incisive break with 19 minutes remaining.

It is unusual to see a José Mourinho team surrender a lead, particularly with a one-man advantage after Pablo Zabaleta was sent off for a second bookable offence, but City deserved their equaliser, which came when Lampard made a characteristic run from midfield to convert James Milner’s cushioned pass.

Of course you would never get two managers with the shared history of Manuel Pellegrini and Mourinho admitting it was a fair result. The pair of them bickered ungraciously in their respective post-match press conferences — Pellegrini claiming that Chelsea had been a “big team playing like a little team, like Stoke”, Mourinho again referring to “Mr Pellegrino” in less than deferential terms — and no doubt we can expect more mud-slinging and name-calling over the months ahead.

It would have been a shame to let that — or any acrimony over Zabaleta’s red card, for which he later apologised on Twitter — overshadow other aspects of the game. There were not the jaw-dropping skills you would see in a Spanish clasico or indeed the thrills and spills of Leicester City’s chaotic 5-3 victory over Manchester United earlier in the afternoon, but this was one of the few occasions these days when it was possible to come away from a Premier League game enthusing about all four central defenders on view.

City’s supporters have had to wait for their first glimpse of Eliaquim Mangala, their £32 million summer signing from Porto, but the France defender made an encouraging debut as he and Vincent Kompany succeeded, for the most part, in stifling the threat of Diego Costa. At the other end, Gary Cahill and John Terry ensured that, for all City’s possession in advanced positions, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Agüero rarely threatened.

If Pellegrini felt affronted by Chelsea’s approach — an extremely compact back four, as usual, with Nemanja Matic and his midfield colleagues allowing little space in front of it — then it seems clear it is one that City will have to learn to live with this season. When Yaya Touré, David Silva, Agüero and Dzeko play as they can do, they usually find a way through, but for long periods yesterday a dominant performance lacked the precision and unpredictability to break down Chelsea’s defence.

City’s best moments of the first half came through Zabaleta and Milner down the right-hand side. Milner made a strong impression all afternoon — starting on the right-hand side of midfield, finishing off at left back, even having his name chanted by the home crowd when Mangala was announced as the man of the match — but despite his efforts, City could not find the breakthrough in the first half, making only half-chances with which Dzeko and Agüero could not find the target.

Another feature of the first half was the six yellow cards shown by Mike Dean, the referee. With Dean and indeed both sets of players in this mood, there was always the likelihood of someone picking up a second booking and a red card after half-time. Zabaleta’s first booking had been a little harsh, a clip on Eden Hazard, but he showed a loss of control for the second, hacking at Costa midway through the second half and paying the price.

City seemed to lose their concentration and their shape, however briefly, and Chelsea exploited it. To that point, they had not counter-attacked anything like so swiftly as they did in winning here in February, but the move that brought the opening goal was a classic, with Cesc Fàbregas, Branislav Ivanovic and Costa combining to set up Hazard, whose measured right-wing cross was swept in at the far post by Schürrle.

So far, so utterly perfect from Mourinho’s viewpoint. Chelsea were growing in confidence, almost claiming a second goal when Costa hit the foot of the post moments later.

City sent on Lampard for his home debut and, despite having said beforehand that it would be “weird” to face Chelsea, the 36-year-old quickly settled into the groove. With five minutes remaining he passed to Milner before drifting off into space as the move continued. Milner found Silva, who floated a pass back out to Milner, by now attacking the penalty area. Milner knocked the ball into the path of Lampard, who, having escaped from Ivanovic, adjusted his body to meet the ball at thigh height, beating Thibaut Courtois to level the scores.

Having scored once, Lampard even threatened a second goal in stoppage time, shooting just wide from the edge of the area. It is hard to know how he would have reacted had that one flown in. As it was, he looked dewy-eyed as he walked over to applaud the Chelsea supporters at the final whistle — they returned his affection with interest — and raised a hand in what looked like apology.

They would tell him he had nothing to apologise for. If anyone was to hold up the Chelsea bandwagon, there was no one better to do it. They will just hope that the dropped points do not cost them in the final reckoning.


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Mail:

Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea:

Blues legend Frank Lampard haunts his former club with late equaliser after Andre Schurrle opener

By Martin Samuel

Frank Lampard has now scored against 39 different Premier League teams. He just didn’t ever imagine Chelsea would be one of them.

Not since Denis Law believed he had condemned Manchester United to relegation — also in a Manchester City shirt, coincidentally — has a player looked so mixed up about scoring.

Lampard’s 85th-minute equaliser came at the end of an afternoon in which his name had been sung as enthusiastically by the away end as by the fans of his new club.

They held up banners in his honour and continued to celebrate and embrace him as one of their own.

Lampard said he didn’t get a chance to say a proper goodbye. He must have been relishing the opportunity, yet privately dreading a send-off like this.

Lampard did not celebrate his big moment and, at the final whistle, appeared close to tears. That didn’t stop him, post-equaliser, having another go at winning it for his new club, with a shot blocked at full stretch by John Terry.

If he had been given time to think maybe he would have skied both balls diplomatically, but Lampard was never less than the consummate professional.

Faced with a scoring chance, instinct simply took over.

Until that moment — a Thibaut Courtois save from Sergio Aguero after 57 minutes aside — Manchester City had not significantly threatened Chelsea’s goal.

Indeed, the match was shaping up as one of those Jose Mourinho specials in which he sends out a team to do a job and they execute his plan to perfection.

Chelsea were outstanding at the back and, as the game wore on, began quietly slipping through the gears in midfield. This is a Chelsea known to all, soaking it up and then, bang, hitting viciously on the counter-attack.

Yet if Chelsea successfully parked the bus for 85 minutes, what was forgotten is Lampard has the keys to that particular vehicle. He knows how to manoeuvre it and drove it as well as anybody. And it was from memory that he arrived to score the levelling goal; the memory of converting a hundred or more like it on his way to becoming Chelsea’s record scorer. The ball forward was speculative to say the least and tremendous credit is due to James Milner, who contrived to square it at full stretch on the volley.

From this unlikely scenario, magic occurred. Lampard arrived, late but perfectly synchronised as ever, and struck his shot past a defeated Courtois.

How many times had Chelsea’s faithful seen him do that, but in a blue shirt of a different hue?

This was one occasion when refusing to celebrate seemed appropriate.

There was too much respect on both sides for Lampard to throw it back in the faces of the travelling contingent. Instead, he looked slightly sheepish. Knowing him, however, inside he may feel a point has been proved. How did they let him go? How did they ever risk that he would end up playing for a rival? Would Manchester United ever have lined up against Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes? Of course not.

The warmth of the hugs and handshakes from former Chelsea team-mates suggested they knew what had been lost, too.

The identity of the scorer and the timing of his goal made this feel like a defeat for Chelsea.

Even so, when the Lampard sting is forgotten, it is still a good result.

Just five games gone and Chelsea are already five points clear of the reigning champions. They have four on Arsenal, who visit Stamford Bridge in two weeks, six on Tottenham Hotspur, seven on Liverpool, eight on Manchester United.

Last February, Chelsea dominated this game and could have won by more. On Sunday, even Mourinho conceded that honours were even.

Chelsea let Manchester City play the football and the home fans will argue the turning point of the game was the unjust 66th-minute dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta. It wasn’t. Yes, it was goalless then and 1-0 to Chelsea five minutes later. Yet that isn’t why Chelsea got a point.

From City’s perspective, the game had an ominous look for a good 10 minutes before that, Chelsea coming into it, linking together well, starting to get the upper hand in midfield, even if goalkeeper Joe Hart remained untroubled.

Manuel Pellegrini compared their style to Stoke City but that is nonsense, too. They would quite possibly have broken the deadlock 11 versus 11.

More importantly, Zabaleta deserved to go. Already booked for a foul on Eden Hazard — there were nine yellow cards, including Zabaleta’s two — he was reckless in his challenge on Diego Costa and became involved in some pointless grappling after the event.

It was the foul that earned the second yellow card, though, and Zabaleta’s protests were futile and misguided.

He has been sent off in six of his seven seasons with City and, for all his excellence, has a tendency to hot-headedness. So does Costa, but he was the wronged party here. In the circumstances, City have no cause for complaint.

Chelsea’s breakthrough, which followed soon after, was poetry in motion.

Costa held the ball up in midfield perfectly, moving it on and finally out to Hazard on the right flank. His cross was precise, as was substitute Andre Schurrle’s run, arriving at the far post as he so often does for club and country, sharper than City’s covering defenders, a goal waiting to happen.

It could have been all over from there had Costa not hit a post after 81 minutes. This meant he failed to match the Premier League scoring record of eight in five games held by Micky Quinn at Coventry City.

In these days of sprees measured in hundreds of millions, it is nice to know that an old school figure like Quinn can still have his name in the record books. Lampard, too. Thirty-nine and counting. Don’t think it ends here. He couldn’t stop himself, you know, even if he tried.


Man City: Hart 6.5, Zabaleta 7, Kompany 8, Mangala 7.5, Kolarov 7 (Lampard 78, 7), Milner 7.5, Fernandinho 7.5 (Jesus Navas 73, 6), Toure 7.5, Silva 6.5, Dzeko 7 (Sagna 70, 6), Aguero 6.5.Subs Not Used: Nasri, Caballero, Clichy, Demichelis.

Sent Off: Zabaleta (66).

Booked: Fernandinho, Zabaleta, Silva, Toure.

Goals: Lampard 85.


Chelsea: Courtois 7, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 8, Azpilicueta 7, Fabregas 6.5, Matic 6.5, Ramires 6 (Schurrle 63, 7), Willian 6.5 (Mikel 63, 6), Hazard 7.5, Costa 7 (Drogba 86).

Subs Not Used: Cech, Luis, Oscar, Remy.

Booked: Ramires, Matic, Costa, Ivanovic.

Goals: Schurrle 71.

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral) 5.5

Ratings by Ian Ladyman at the Etihad Stadium


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Mirror:

Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea: Frank Lampard the hero with an equaliser against his old club

By Martin Lipton

The Blues passed up the chance to go eight points clear of their rivals, as Lampard cancelled out his old-team's lead for 10-man City

Of all the players, in all the grounds, in all the world.

It HAD to be him.

A legend, for ever, at Stamford Bridge. Rightly so.

The player who made 648 appearances for Chelsea, who left, against his will, as their record goalscorer this summer.

Feted, when he arrived, with 12 minutes left, by the travelling fans, supporters who were denied the chance to thank him for 13 remarkable years.

Yet now wearing sky blue, representing a City side who were staring at an eight-point deficit on Jose Mourinho’s men, down to 10 after the needless dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta was seized on by Andre Schurrle’s close-range finish.

And, with just five minutes to go at The Etihad, with his former club on the brink of striking a mammoth blow in the battle for the crown, Frank Lampard rolled back time, replicating the moment the Chelsea supporters gleefully applauded 211 times.

David Silva clipped forward, where James Milner’s latest lung-busting effort saw him divert back into the box.

And there, timing his run, anticipating the moment, applying the finish, as he has done on so many occasions, Lampard, just too quick for old mate John Terry, too good for Thibaut Courtois.

He did not celebrate. Of course not. He couldn’t. Not after what Chelsea means to him.

Had it been the winner, rather than the goal that secured a point – and it needed a Terry block, at the death, to deny him a second – you wonder whether Lampard might have retired on the spot.

Even so, there were tears in his 36-year-old eyes as he walked, alone, towards the Chelsea fans at the final whistle, noting how they stood, as one, to chant his name, appreciate his efforts.

Sometimes, now and then, football can unify rather than divide. This was one of them, the chant of ‘’Super Frankie Lampard’’ on all Etihad lips.

Yet even if Mourinho and his men were left ruing how the thickness of the post had prevented Diego Costa repeating Micky Quinn’s feat of scoring in each of the first five Premier League games, it was Chelsea who had more credit in the bank.

Their resolution at the back had been immaculate, on an afternoon where all four centre-halves stood out, refusing to let City’s physicality unhinge them.

And when Zabaleta, already booked for one foolish foul on Eden Hazard in the first half, hooked out at Costa and got involved in a minor skirmish to earn his second yellow card, it was Chelsea who struck.

Costa worked space, fed to Hazard, whose low ball in from the right begged for the finish applied by the sliding Schurrle.

Had Milner, who started wide right but ended at left-back, not got the touch to help Costa’s left-footer onto the post, soon after the striker’s header straight at Joe Hart, City would not have retained the platform for Lampard’s rescue act.

They may have dominated possession and territory but without making much headway, Courtois having to produce just the one save, from Sergio Aguero.

It looked like we would be hailing another Mourinho masterclass, picking Manuel Pellegrini’s pocket once more.

Instead, unquestionably, it became about another who will always be park of SW6 folklore. But will see out his Premier League days in northern exile. Astonishing.


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Express:

Manchester City 1 - Chelsea 1: Lampard breaks through Mourinho masterplan to stun Blues

AS the dust settled at the Etihad Stadium there was little to be learned other than compelling confirmation that these two heavyweights will slug it out for the Premier League title.

By: Richard Tanner


Even Jose Mourinho grudgingly admitted a point apiece was a fair result and both teams will be happy enough with it - for different reasons.

Although Chelsea will be frustrated they threw away a lead against 10 men, Mourinho had set them up to contain Manchester City and if someone had offered him a draw at the start he would surely have taken it.

This was classic Mourinho. A superbly organised, disciplined performance that strangled the life out of the game for the most part. But then who can blame him against the team who rattled in over 150 goals last season?

City went into the game needing the win more than Chelsea but the fact they kept came back after falling a goal and a man down showed great character and turned what was shaping up to be a disastrous week into an acceptable one.

Two draws against Arsenal and Chelsea sandwiched the last-gasp Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich. Add in the defeat to Stoke before the international week and City have now gone four games without a victory for the first time since Mark Hughes' era as boss.

But while he is concerned at the results, manager Manuel Pellegrini insisted afterwards he is not overly worried about performances and that only one team set out to win this game.

Despite knocking at the door for 90 minutes, however, City only forced one serious save out of Thibault Courtois, who was so well protected by John Terry and Gary Cahill.

But there was still plenty to encourage Pellegrini. Yaya Toure answered criticism of his form with a much more energetic midfield performance, Eliaquim Mangala's belated debut was impressive, Vincent Kompnay underlined why he is the Premier League's best centre back by keeping Diego Costa on a tight leash while the often unsung James Milner was awarded man of the match for a tireless shift and his assist for City's equaliser.

Mourinho will be frustrated that an almost faultless tactical plan and defensive display - not to mention their 100 per cent start in the League - was wrecked by one lapse in concentration.

Of all teams, Chelsea should know Frank Lampard's penchant for making late runs into the penalty. After all the bulk of the club record tally of 211 goals over his 13-year spell at Stamford Bridge were scored in similar fashion.

While Chelsea fans gave Lampard a rousing reception when he came on as substitute, but no-one expected his former team-mates to be so charitable by giving him the time and space to score a trademark goal.

For once City got in behind Chelsea's back four when David Silva lofted an exquisite pass over the back four, Milner laid it off first time and there was Lampard running into the box to score with a first time half-volley.

He didn't celebrate out of respect to Chelsea but his goal could prove highly significant come judgement day in May. It is early days but City were well aware they would have struggled to claw back an eight-point lead on a team that is so hard to beat.

Chelsea's goal came when City were still reeling from the controversial 68th minute dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta. And until that point, it would have surprised no-one if the game had finished goal-less.

Booked in the first half for a foul on Eden Hazard, Zabaleta received a second caution from referee Mike Dean for chopping down Costa. At first it looked like Costa might be in trouble for putting his hands around the throat of the City defender but it was Zabaleta who walked - and replays suggested he couldn't have too many complaints. Costa escaped with just a yellow card.

Almost immediately Chelsea took advantage. Pellegrini had sent on Bacary Sagna for Eden Dzeko but City were still re-adjusting when Andre Schurrle stole in at the far post to tap in Hazard's low cross that had snaked it's way right across the penalty area after a breakaway.

The way Chelsea had defended up until then, suggested City were done for. And the game would certainly have been beyond them had Costa not been denied a goal for the fifth League game running when his snap shot struck the post with Joe Hart beaten. But Lampard's introduction 12 minutes from the end made the difference and for him, at least, it was the perfect result.


Man City (4-4-2): Hart 6; Zabaleta 6, Kompany 9, Mangala 7, Kolarov 6 (Lampard 78, 7); Milner 7, Toure 7, Fernandinho 7, Silva 7; Dzeko 6 (Sagna 70, 5), Aguero 6.

Goal: Lampard 85.

Sent off: Zabaleta.

Booked: Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Silva, Toure.

Next up: Wed - Sheffield Wed (h) Capital One Cup.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 8, Azpilicueta ; Ramires 6 (Schurrle 62, 7), Matic 7; Willian 5 (Mikel, 62, 6), Fabregas 6, Hazard 5; Costa 5 (Drogba 85, 5).

Goal: Schurrle 72.

Booked: Ramires, Matic, Costa, Ivanovic.

Next up: Wed - Bolton (h) Capital One Cup.

Referee: M. Dean (Wirral).

Stat of the day: Frank Lampard has become the first player to score against 39 different Premier League clubs.


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Star:


Man City 1 - Chelsea 1: Lampard late show denies Mourinho's side three points

FRANKLY who would have believed it!

By David Woods

On a weekend full of Premier League surprises, Frank Lampard topped the lot by coming off the bench to score the equaliser against his beloved former club.

He is joining New York City in the new year, but the on-loan star's contribution yesterday was more like something dreamt up in Hollywood.

As he was introduced in the 78th minute, with the champions trailing, the travelling support bellowed out, "super Frankie Lampard" and "he's won more than you".

Seven minutes later they were struck silent as he scored his first goal for City to earn them a crucial point.

Lampard looked bemused and embarrassed, not having a clue how to celebrate.

At the final whistle he hugged six Chelsea players, applauded the home fans, then walked slowly down to the away section to clap them too.

A chorus of "Super Frankie Lampard went up again" before the 36-year-old walked off the pitch still looking shellshocked.

He might even have scored a winner, his great mate John Terry blocking a firm left-foot drive in the 89th minute.

That effort came three minutes after Chelsea's record scorer - 211 goals in 13 seasons at the club - managed a finish he will never forget against the team who declined to give him a new contract.

A chipped ball from David Silva to James Milner on the left, saw the England man volley across goal.

Lampard just evaded the lunging attempted block by Terry to slightly scuff a sidefooted volley which crept in at the near post.

You could not make it up.

Up until then it had looked like Jose Mourinho was going to repeat his successful recipe for beating City on their own turf, with Chelsea going ahead in the 71st minute when Andre Schurrle scored. It was their first attempt on goal.

On Friday Mourinho laughed off claims his 1-0 win at The Etihad last season had proved him to be a master tactician. The only master he knew of was master chef Gordon Ramsay.

To be fair to City, another Blues win would not have left a good taste in the mouth.

Yes, they defended brilliantly and Mourinho set them up to frustrate City and catch them on the break.

That they did with a wonderful sweeping move which culminated in Branislav Ivanovic finding Diego Costa, who picked out Eden Hazard on the right flank.

His ball across goal evaded all the light blue shirts in the box and Germany star Schurrle tapped in at the far post.

At the time there were only nine of those light blue shirts on the pitch, with Pablo Zabaletta correctly sent off by Mike Dean in the 66th minute.

The ref showed the Argentine two yellow cards, the second for a crude challenge on Costa, having earlier been cautioned for tripping Hazard.

Up until the two goals it had been a game where defenders, particular central ones, ruled.

City's £32m signing from Porto, Eliaquim Mangala, was immense on his debut and for most of the game seven-goal Costa was treated with disdain by Vincent Kompany.

Costa did strike the outside of a post in the 81st minute, but the Brazilian-born Spanish international was given a harsh lesson yesterday about just how tough the Premier League can be for a solitary striker.

The Blues rearguard of Terry and Gary Cahill were excellent too.

But apart from the goals, there was not a great deal to get excited about, especially when compared to the shocks elsewhere in the Premier League yesterday at Leicester, Tottenham and Everton.

All that went on before, though, was just a warm-up prior to Lampard's cameo, which will live long in the memory of both sets of fans.