Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea

• Blues go three points clear at top
• But draw ends their 100% start
• Lampard scores against club he left in summer
• City five points behind the leaders

Chelsea's all-time record goalscorer Frank Lampard returned to haunt his old club with the late equaliser that gave Manchester City a point at Etihad Stadium.

And he added another dramatic chapter to his illustrious story when he slid home a strike with five minutes left after Andre Schurrle looked to have scored the goal that would have given Chelsea an eight-point advantage over the reigning Premier League champions.

City will feel they deserved a point after battling back into contention following the second-half sending-off of defender Pablo Zabaleta following a tussle with Chelsea striker Diego Costa.

The spotlight, inevitably, will focus on 36-year-old Lampard. The former England international refused to celebrate his goal and looked to be on the verge of tears at the final whistle as he received a standing ovation from Chelsea's fans, who set aside their disappointment to acclaim the player who served them so wonderfully.

Lampard's name was chanted by the travelling support before he was also applauded off by City's followers, grateful for a glimpse of the goalscoring gifts that earned Manuel Pellegrini's side a draw.

Jose Mourinho's men remain three points clear at the top of the table despite losing their 100% Premier League record - although there will be disappointment at conceding two points so late on against a City side down to 10 mean.

After the extravaganza of Leicester City's 5-3 win against Manchester United, even two teams of this calibre had a tough act to follow and, for long periods, this was a game that failed to live up to its pre-match billing.

Costa was involved in a bruising physical battle with Vincent Kompany but showed once again that he is up for the fight in the Premier League as he had a hand in Schurrle's goal, was involved in Zabaleta's second yellow card and also struck a post with a shot that almost sealed the three points.

Kompany and his new defensive partner Eliaquim Mangala, making his first start following his £32m summer move from Porto, were in imperious mood but Costa's head never dropped and he looks a striker perfectly suited for the Premier League.

The first 45 minutes were a dull war of attrition as City dominated territory and possession - Chelsea responding with the sort of defensive resilience some suggested had been sacrificed with the introduction of the greater flair of Costa and Cesc Fabregas.

City again applied the pressure after the break but, when Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois was called into action he answered superbly with a low save from Sergio Aguero on the turn from 12 yards, Ramires crucially sweeping the rebound away from Edin Dzeko as he closed in.

Costa had been in close proximity to City's defence throughout, with several hefty physical exchanges, so it was no surprise when the striker was in the tussle that led to Zabaleta's red card.

The Argentine was involved in a tangle with the former Atletico Madrid forward and was penalised for a foul, bringing a second yellow card from referee Mike Dean and an avalanche of outrage from the City fans, who gave Zabaleta a standing ovation as he left the field.

Pellegrini introduced Bacary Sagna for Dzeko to add defensive stability in the face of Chelsea's numerical advantage, but it was not long before the away side made it count.

After a sweeping move, Costa passed to Eden Hazard and his cross was met at the far post by substitute Schurrle, who got in ahead of Mangala to score.

The nuisance that is Costa almost made it two with a shot against a post - setting the stage for Lampard's dramatic intervention.

As the outstanding James Milner turned a cross back at the far post, Lampard showed his old instincts to capitalise on Branislav Ivanovic's failure to track him into the area and wrong-foot Courtois with a volley.

There is still something surreal about seeing Lampard in the sky blue of City rather than the royal blue of Chelsea, but the champions were grateful for that as they took a point.