The Barclays Premier League
Stamford Bridge, London
Two goals from Michael Ballack kept alive Chelsea's title hopes as they overcame Manchester United 2-1 in a pulsating clash at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's dreams appeared over after a monumental blunder by Ricardo Carvalho gifted United a 55th minute equaliser to Wayne Rooney.
Ballack had given Chelsea a 45th minute lead and he sealed a vital win in controversial circumstances by slotting home a penalty five minutes from time.
Referee Alan Wiley awarded the spot-kick after Michael Carrick handled a cross from Michael Essien.
It was a sensational climax to an afternoon of high drama in west London and the win puts Chelsea level on points with United at the top of the Barclays Premier League.
Chelsea set about United in the opening minutes and Michael Essien brought a diving save from Edwin Van der Sar.
United, who left Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez on the substitutes' bench, were rocked in the ninth minute when Nemanja Vidic was carried off on a stretcher with a facial injury.
The United defender was caught by Didier Drogba's knee as he stooped to head the ball clear and he was subsequently replaced by Owen Hargreaves.
The tempo, as expected, was fast and furious, but goalscoring opportunities were at a premium.
Chelsea should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Joe Cole got clear of the United defence, but after initially losing the ball, he lashed the ball against the crossbar from just inside the penalty area.
Chelsea were leaving plenty of gaps in defence, but United, with Wayne Rooney operating as a lone striker, were unable to exploit them.
In the 23rd minute a neat combination between Drogba and Essien ended with the Ghanaian's cross eluding everyone in the six-yard box.
Rooney's lone role in attack was clearly not working as Ryan Giggs and Nani were often slow in supporting the England international.
Chelsea continued to press for an opening goal and were unlucky when Joe Cole dribbled his way into the penalty area, only for Van der Sar to grab the ball at his feet. The United keeper required treatment for a minor knock as a result of the collision.
On the half-hour Joe Cole shot just wide from the angle of the six-yard box when fed the ball by Essien.
A free-kick from Ashley Cole caused minor panic in the United defence when the giant frame of John Terry rose to meet it, but the Chelsea captain could not direct his effort anywhere near the target.
The home side were well on top and thought they should have been awarded a spot-kick in the 34th minute when Drogba appeared to go down under a robust challenge from Mikael Silvestre.
But the referee emphatically waved away Chelsea's appeals while United's bench accused the Ivorian of taking a dive.
However, Chelsea took the lead in the 45th minute when Drogba's cross was headed home at the far post by the unmarked Ballack.
The 
goal sparked emotional scenes as all the Chelsea players held up Frank Lampard's number eight shirt with the message 'Pat Lampard - R.I.P'. Ballack who had taken his shirt off, was then booked by Wiley.
It was a tribute to Lampard's mother, who passed away from pneumonia on Thursday.
Ballack's timely opening goal was just the boost Grant's side had been hoping for.
The Blues, needing to win to move level on points with United at the top of the table, were far the better side in the opening 45 minutes.
If there had been any doubts about the spirit within the dressing room at Stamford Bridge, then they had been dispelled emphatically by the emotional celebrations that followed Ballack's goal.
United were still struggling to create anything despite a better share of possession at the start of the second half.
United's Brown found himself booked for a foul on Essien in the 52nd minute as, rather ominously for Chelsea, 38-goal Cristiano Ronaldo warmed up on the touchline.
But United got themselves back into the game thanks to a mistake by Chelsea defender Carvalho.
The Portuguese defender passed the ball straight to Rooney, who accepted the gift by firing beyond Cech into the net, although he appeared to injure himself in the process.
Carvalho's error could have already gifted United the title, but Sir Alex Ferguson, sensing perhaps that his side could finish the job, replaced a struggling Rooney with Ronaldo.
Seconds later Anderson was substituted for John O'Shea and Chelsea, knowing they had to get themselves back in front, added Nicolas Anelka into the mix in place of Paulo Ferreira.
The game continued to enthral, with Ashley Cole getting an ear bashing from Wiley after he had been harshly adjudged to have fouled Ronaldo.
But it erupted into controversy in the 84th minute when Wiley awarded a penalty for handball against Carrick.
The United midfielder got his arm in the way of Essien's cross and Ballack kept his cool to score from the spot and keep the title race on the boil.
In the dying minutes United were twice thwarted by goalline clearances - Ronaldo's left-foot drive being hacked away by Ashley Cole, before substitute Andriy Shevchenko nodded clear Darren Fletcher's diving header following a goalmouth scramble.
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