Shay Given was Manchester City’s hero as they staged a stirring fightback to come from behind and beat Premier League leaders Chelsea in an enthralling encounter at rain-soaked Eastlands.
The Republic of Ireland keeper saved Frank Lampard’s late penalty to give City a victory their huge reserves of resilience and character deserved after Chelsea took an early lead.
Chelsea looked to be maintaining their momentum at the top of the table when they went ahead after City striker Emmanuel Adebayor unfortunately diverted the ball into his own net after eight minutes.
City refused to lie down in the face of this setback and set about Chelsea with real relish, equalising before the interval when Adebayor made amends for his own goal by turning in a close-range finish after Shaun Wright-Phillips’ shot fell invitingly into his path off Micah Richards.
Carlos Tevez completed the turnaround with a 20-yard free-kick after 56 minutes that flew suspiciously close to Chelsea keeper Petr Cech, although he may have been unsighted by the presence of Joleon Lescott in the penalty area.
Chelsea inevitably turned up the heat in a tumultuous Eastlands atmosphere, and looked to have snatched a point when referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot nine minutes from time after Nedum Onuoha fouled Didier Driogba. But this was City’s day - and it was confirmed as Given dived to save Lampard’s spot-kick as City completed a momentous week after sealing a Carling Cup semi-final clash with derby rivals Manchester United. City’s win cuts Chelsea’s lead over United to only two points
2 Comments
Where was Joe Cole surely better suited than Deco!
Cole is off the boil at the moment.Essien too.