In a gripping game which showcased both the beautiful and the ugly side of the Premier League a goal at either end by Emmanuel Adebayor and a Tevez strike ensured City came away with the three points, after Frank Lampard had a penalty saved.
Chelsea started with the intent of a team who have scored in all of their Premier League games this season.
A wonderful move by Chelsea eight minutes in eventually found Didier Drogba in the clear but just as the end result appeared to be a formality he shot right at Shay Given who parried the shot. Then minutes later we had the opening goal.
A wrongly given corner after Ashley Cole was tackled by Shaun Wright-Phillips resulted in first blood to Chelsea.
A cross by Michael Ballack to the back post was helped back across goal by Drogba right to Lampard whose goal-bound effort was blocked on the line only to land at the feet of Anelka who once again found his shot blocked before it unluckily rebounded of Adebayor for an own goal.
Although Chelsea appeared to be in control of the game, they were doing so on the back foot. City gained more and more confidence as the half wore on and started to create openings for themselves.
Wright-Phillips had a shot parried by Petr Cech at near post midway through the half before Gareth Barry had an on-target effort deflected for a corner.
The pressure continued and a floating delivery from Barry found the head of Micah Richards who beat the oncoming fist of Cech, but with the ball floating into the net Ricardo Carvalho managed to arch his neck and clear it off the line.
From the subsequent corner Wright-Phillips powered a shot from the edge of the area only for it to hit Richards' hand as he tried to protect himself from the rocket shot. Chelsea appealed for a handball, whilst the ball fell to Adebayor who poked home from close range.
Chelsea protested with John Terry appearing the most vocal but the goal stood.
Straight down the other end and Chelsea won a free kick after a foul on Lampard. Drogba stepped up and curled a shot that Shay Given, though the shot was on his side, struggled to reach before it drifted just wide.
Where the first half was enterprising the second half was border line volatile with Chelsea, not used to losing, showing signs of getting very frustrated.
Wright-Phillips, who stumbled past Ashley Cole through a mixture of determination, luck and skill, found himself at the by-line before he cut the ball back to Adebayor who scuffed his shot which was easily cleared away by Carvalho.
A free kick for City followed, after a foul by Carvalho, and was sized up and swiftly put away by Carlos Tevez for a City goal. There were concerns of the positioning of Cech for the goal who was wrong footed by the shot but should have done better.
Chelsea continued to push forward, fuelled through a mixture of anger and injustice. Ten minutes from the end Drogba found himself free in the area only to be felled by Nedum Onuoha for a penalty.
The usually reliable Lampard took on the responsibility but his penalty was saved by Given down to his right to the absolute delight of the City supporters.
Lampard looked crestfallen but Chelsea still pumped forward. A side-rule pass by Michael Essien put Drogba clean through but the in form forward put his shot wide when he usually would scored.
It meant that the doom and gloom has now been lifted from City who are now unbeaten in nine games. Chelsea lose their buffer at the top of the table and now sit just two points clear of Manchester United courtesy of Carlos Tevez. Now that's some irony.
A wonderful move by Chelsea eight minutes in eventually found Didier Drogba in the clear but just as the end result appeared to be a formality he shot right at Shay Given who parried the shot. Then minutes later we had the opening goal.
A wrongly given corner after Ashley Cole was tackled by Shaun Wright-Phillips resulted in first blood to Chelsea.
A cross by Michael Ballack to the back post was helped back across goal by Drogba right to Lampard whose goal-bound effort was blocked on the line only to land at the feet of Anelka who once again found his shot blocked before it unluckily rebounded of Adebayor for an own goal.
Although Chelsea appeared to be in control of the game, they were doing so on the back foot. City gained more and more confidence as the half wore on and started to create openings for themselves.
Wright-Phillips had a shot parried by Petr Cech at near post midway through the half before Gareth Barry had an on-target effort deflected for a corner.
The pressure continued and a floating delivery from Barry found the head of Micah Richards who beat the oncoming fist of Cech, but with the ball floating into the net Ricardo Carvalho managed to arch his neck and clear it off the line.
From the subsequent corner Wright-Phillips powered a shot from the edge of the area only for it to hit Richards' hand as he tried to protect himself from the rocket shot. Chelsea appealed for a handball, whilst the ball fell to Adebayor who poked home from close range.
Chelsea protested with John Terry appearing the most vocal but the goal stood.
Straight down the other end and Chelsea won a free kick after a foul on Lampard. Drogba stepped up and curled a shot that Shay Given, though the shot was on his side, struggled to reach before it drifted just wide.
Where the first half was enterprising the second half was border line volatile with Chelsea, not used to losing, showing signs of getting very frustrated.
Wright-Phillips, who stumbled past Ashley Cole through a mixture of determination, luck and skill, found himself at the by-line before he cut the ball back to Adebayor who scuffed his shot which was easily cleared away by Carvalho.
A free kick for City followed, after a foul by Carvalho, and was sized up and swiftly put away by Carlos Tevez for a City goal. There were concerns of the positioning of Cech for the goal who was wrong footed by the shot but should have done better.
Chelsea continued to push forward, fuelled through a mixture of anger and injustice. Ten minutes from the end Drogba found himself free in the area only to be felled by Nedum Onuoha for a penalty.
The usually reliable Lampard took on the responsibility but his penalty was saved by Given down to his right to the absolute delight of the City supporters.
Lampard looked crestfallen but Chelsea still pumped forward. A side-rule pass by Michael Essien put Drogba clean through but the in form forward put his shot wide when he usually would scored.
It meant that the doom and gloom has now been lifted from City who are now unbeaten in nine games. Chelsea lose their buffer at the top of the table and now sit just two points clear of Manchester United courtesy of Carlos Tevez. Now that's some irony.
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