Given thwarts Chelsea surge

Shay Given saved a Frank Lampard penalty eight minutes from time as Manchester City rally to score a dramatic victory over Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Shay Given saved a Frank Lampard penalty eight minutes from time as Manchester City recorded a dramatic 2-1 victory over Premier League leaders Chelsea. There appeared little hint of the drama to come when Emmanuel Adebayor's own goal gave the visitors an eighth-minute lead. But Adebayor levelled before the break and Carlos Tevez netted what proved to be the winner 11 minutes later, although City - and Manchester United - had Given to thank as Chelsea's lead at the top was cut to two points. Chelsea took an early lead when a goalmouth scramble ensued from a corner and the ball deflected in off Adebayor in the most unfortunate circumstances. City kept up their offensive though and when Shaun Wright-Phillips drove another shot into the Chelsea box it ultimately brought their equaliser with Adebayor making up for his earlier misfortune. If Didier Drogba's free kick in the final minute of the half had been one inch inside Given's left-hand post rather than an equal distance outside it, City might have had problems responding. As it was, they were the ones with the impetus when the sides returned. And they were the ones who got their noses in front. Tevez curled a crisp free kick into the bottom corner from 20 yards after he wrong-footed Petr Cech. Given emerged the hero when he turned away an admittedly poor Frank Lampard penalty after Nedum Onuoha had upended Drogba. There was still time for John Terry to limp off and Drogba to waste a glorious chance to level late on although City, and Given, deserved their success.

* PA Sport