Wigan took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Charles N’Zogbia, but surrendered their lead immediately after the restart with Petrov curling the ball past Chris Kirkland.
City pushed for a winner with Shaun Wright-Phillips going close, but after Pablo Zabaleta was dismissed for a second bookable offence Wigan looked the most likely winners.
Hugo Rodallega went close late on but was denied by Shay Given as 10-man City held on for the draw.
Roberto Martinez named the same team that lost to Hull prior to the international break with Jason Scotland leading the frontline and the versatile Paul Scharner in midfield.
Manchester City were without the injured duo of Kolo Toure and Craig Bellamy who were replaced by Micah Richards and Petrov, whilst Stephen Ireland started on the bench with Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong in midfield.
Wigan started the brighter with composed spells of possession. N’Zogbia cut in field to shoot over early on before Scotland escaped the attentions of Richards on the right to tee up Rodallega, whose shot was well blocked by Zabaleta.
City struggled to create any serious threat to Kirkland’s goal with Titus Bramble and Emerson Boyce marshalling Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor and Mohamed Diame and Hendry Thomas breaking up play in midfield.
Mark Hughes’ men began to find a rhythm as the first-half wore on though. Tevez found Adebayor with a long diagonal ball which he controlled well but shot straight at Kirkland and Wright-Phillips sent a dangerous curling cross to the back post where Mario Melchiot had to make a vital interception to prevent Barry from prodding the ball in.
Wigan began to threaten again as half-time approached with Rodallega testing Given with a swerving 30-yard drive that the Irishman punched clear. But the City goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent N’Zogbia opening the scoring in added time.
Given was only able to palm Rodallega’s shot from the left into N’Zogbia’s path and the Frenchman beat Wayne Bridge to the ball and poked the ball into the net.
City were straight back on level terms after the break though with Petrov placing the ball past Kirkland from Tevez’s cross from the right.
Tevez almost set up Adebayor to put City in the lead but the Togo striker was denied by a last ditch challenge from Bramble. The ball then fell to Wright-Phillips on the edge of the box however his shot was well saved by Kirkland.
City continued to look the most threatening with Tevez seeing plenty of the ball. Petrov sent a deep cross in from the left which was met by Barry but Kirkland did well to get a hand to the ball and push it away from danger.
Wigan were handed an advantage soon after though when Zabaleta was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Scotland. The Argentinean may feel aggrieved though as his booking in the first-half looked harsh.
City struggled to adapt to the loss of their right back and Diame went close for the Latics with a left footed drive that flew just over the bar.
Vincent Kompany replaced an injured Adebayor as Hughes look to sure up his defence, whilst Martinez introduced Jordi Gomez to play behind Scotland as his Wigan side looked for a winning goal.
Rodallega had the best chance to win the game when he met N’Zogbia’s cross from the left but the Columbian was denied by Given as City held on for a share of the points.
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