Chelsea drop their first points of the 2014/15 English Premier League season following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
Both teams now look at the League Cup knockout games midweek, where they are likely to enforce mass changes.
Chelsea are at home to Bolton Wanderers, while City remain at the Etihad to greet Sheffield Wednesday.
Following on from that, Chelsea meet Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, while City travel to Hull City.
FINAL SCORE:
Manchester City 1
Chelsea 1
The battle for English Premier League supremacy is underway, as champions Manchester City host Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Monday morning. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 1:00am (AEST).
Once last season’s Premier League trophy got adorned with the sky blue ribbons of Manchester City last May, Chelsea fans could only bemoan what may have been had their giant-killing ways applied to other opposition.
The champions, after all, came unstuck against Jose Mourinho’s team twice last season, before gaining a victory of little consequence in last season’s FA Cup.
But in the scheme of things, Chelsea know the difference between them and their Mancunian opponents was their strikers’ inability to capitalise against the weaker teams in the league in the manner that Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko regularly did.
Enter Diego Costa.
Despite Chelsea’s home blip in the Champions League midweek, they have begun the Premier League season in scintillating fashion.
Central to that has been the form of their new frontman Costa, with seven goals in his four appearances. It is the cutting edge that Jose Mourinho desired last season that in the end cost Chelsea their chance of success.
While the spotlight will shine firmly on Costa, who is likely to start following his bench appearance in the Champions League, it is the form and influence of Cesc Fabregas that has truly set Chelsea’s motor purring in a way seldom seen at Stamford Bridge during the Abramovich era.
Yet Mourinho is likely to revert to the tactics of yore, in trying to nullify and frustrate Manchester City’s plethora of attacking talent.
Memories of Chelsea’s smash and grab last season still linger for Manchester City. Though they would still win the grand prize, Manuel Pellegrini was guilty of underestimating Jose Mourinho’s ability to knuckle and eke out a result – regardless of the means.
Should last season’s lessons be absorbed by the City boss, it is likely the hosts will start with a formation similar to Chelsea, with Aguero starting up top, with David Silva in support.
In a game likely to be defined by its defensive qualities, Pellegrini will likely opt to start James Milner alongside Fernandinho to keep quiet the threats of Fabregas and Eden Hazard.
Expect the contest to be well fought out in the middle of the park, with both Fernandinho and Nemanja Matic having plenty of work to do.
The prospect of Frank Lampard featuring against his former club is also highly appealing, but so is the knowledge that another loss against Chelsea may truly cost Manchester City this season, courtesy of Diego Costa.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
FULLTIME: Chelsea drop their first points of the season, and both teams now look at the League Cup knockout games midweek, where they are likely to enforce mass changes. Chelsea are at home to Bolton Wanderers, while City remain at the Etihad to greet Sheffield Wednesday. Following on from that, Chelsea meet Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, while City travel to Hull City. I'll be back next weekend to bring you the Merseyside Derby from Anfield next Saturday night. But here from the Etihad, there is only one story, and that is Frank Lampard scoring the equaliser against his old club to save Manchester City a point. The final score is Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
FULLTIME: We are done here, and there is only one story to tell. Stand up Frank Lampard, as he gets a rousing applause from both sets of fans. He gets friendly hugs from all of his old Chelsea friends, but it's his goal that has saved Manchester City this morning, after Andre Schuerrle's goal gave Chelsea a lead following Pablo Zabaleta's unjustified dismissal. Lampard is cheered by both armies of supporters, and it's gracious in the ultimate, as they share the points in a highly-contested affair. Lampard can barely smile, as he doesn't know how to justify this feeling. He now speaks to the media with the man of the match James Milner. FULLTIME: Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90+3: Now Lampard with another! It's wide, but we don't care! He apologises to his teammates for his rashness, but with only a minute to play, time is running out for either team to win this. You can't blame him! In such a turgid and tense affair, you always knew there was drama in the offing. 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90+2: Not this time Didier! It balloons well over, and that story waits for another day. 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'90: The headlines will be on Frank Lampard, but never underestimate James Milner's work in creating that goal. Beyond that, he has truly been excellent this entire match. In all of that, Drogba did come on, and I could not even manage to find out who it was for. Another Chelsea superstar of the vintage variety. Four minutes added time for either side to find a winner. It took the ex-Chelsea man to find a way past Jose Mourinho with a lead. You just don't know what this point may mean in the final equation. Free kick for Chelsea, and it's central about 20 yards out, and Didier Drogba is on it. What more of a narrative could this be if Drogba scores the winner... 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'88: Well, last season, Frank Lampard was one of the old stagers Jose Mourinho chose to show the exit door to. This is a man who won everything for Chelsea during his 13 seasons at Stamford Bridge. Via New York City, Frank Lampard might have saved a point for his loan club against his spiritual home. And now again! It broke again for Lampard, but it was deflected off Terry's boot. What a story if he won this now. 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'86: This is a story in itself. Frank Lampard, yes, Frank Lampard has scored for Manchester City against Chelsea. It was a lovely worked goal, with the final cross from Milner met with a trawling boot by Lampard. The direction was true, the power was good enough, and Courtois was beaten! Fact is surely stranger than fiction. 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'85: You cannot make this up! FRANK LAMPARD SCORES The man is silent. He does not celebrate, but what a goal that could be. 1-1
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'84: Matic gives away the corner, and time running out for City. They have had no luck in penetrating any of these corners, and neither will this outswinger, which is cleared easily via John Terry's left boot. Chelsea readying Didier Drogba, who will be their final change. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'82: The pass was superb from Fabregas, and Costa took one touch to settle, before unleashing the second with his left foot and onto Joe Hart's left post! The goalkeeper could have nothing about that had the connection been inches truer. Now Silva with a chance of his own at the other end, but off target! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'80: Aguero offside! Great ball again by Toure, but the Chelsea back four line is superbly kept by John Terry. Lampard takes up a role in central midfield. It's a conventional 4-4-2 for Pellegrini, who dispenses with the defensive midfielder tactic that is now a redundant requirement. Costa off the post! So close to a second for Chelsea, but that would have been cruel to the utmost for Manchester City. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'78: He receives applause from all shades of blue at the Etihad, but Frank Lampard is on for his home debut. He has 12 minutes to save this game for Manchester City. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'76: Free kick for Chelsea. It was superb from Schuerrle, and Costa got a great connection to it, and straight at Hart! Now Ivanovic sees yellow for a shirt grab on Yaya Toure. It will take a moment of QPR-related madness to get this back for Chelsea. What a moment is coming up. Frank Lampard is coming on to try and deny Chelsea this win. What this could mean if he could pull this off for Manchester City. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'75: The decision to send off Zabaleta now appears the critical flashpoint of this match. Aside from winning the challenge fairly, it was actually Costa who was the main antagonist, who started the initial bust-up with the Argentine. Jose doesn't care. He stands on the brink of another monumental away result. Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'74: Moments after Pellegrini withdrew his second striker was when Chelsea struck! Now he has to revert, as Fernandinho is taken off for Jesus Navas. Goal down, man down, against Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. Can the champions come back from this? Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'72: The changes work for Chelsea, but not for City! Hazard found space on the right, but was not closed down in time by the new arrival Sagna! His pass threaded across the back four in for Schuerrle, who timed his run to perfection with a simple tap in at the far post! Joe Hart has had nothing to do all game, and the first thing he possibly is doing is picking the ball up inside the net! Mourinho, you've done it again! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'70: Now Pellegrini has had to make the sacrifice. With Zabaleta's sending off, it is Edin Dzeko who makes way for Bacary Sagna, who is now required to restore City's defence to a standard back four. But that does come at the expense of some attacking impetus. Pellegrini clearly values the point now against the extra man that Chelsea enjoy. SCHUERRLE SCORES! THAT IS THE MOMENT FOR CHELSEA! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'68: The boos are loud and clear for the referee, who up until that call, has had a great game. But now it's the situation Jose Mourinho was banking on, and he can afford a greater offensive presence. His changes now see Fabregas in a greater advanced position in support of Costa, with Matic the sole midfield presence. Chelsea are now passing with greater fluidity since Zabaleta's dismissal. Is that going to be the critical moment of this game? 0-0
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'66: Now Zabaleta and Costa finally see some afters, and Pablo Zabaleta is off! That's his second yellow! He got the ball, and brought down Costa in the process, but it was a fair challenge. In truth it looked like Costa was more at fault for that in starting the altercation. That is a terrible call by Mike Dean, and has now opened up a serious can of worms for Pellegrini. Does he withdraw an attacking option to stave off Diego Costa, who in my mind, should have been sent off for starting that altercation? He instead sees yellow only. 0-0
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
'64: Schuerrle's first involvement is positive, in that he absolutely harries both Mangala and Kompany in panicked passes across the defence, before the Belgian hoofs it clear out of danger. Now Mangala robs a Chelsea player of possession, but Milner's cross into the box is behind Dzeko, with a swarm of Chelsea blue to regather and snuff out the threat. Both teams lacking that final pass, so much so that neither keeper has had little serious to do. Courtois definitely the more involved, but it has been nothing to worry neither him nor Jose Mourinho. 0-0