Chelsea 1-1 West Ham United
A heroic defensive performance and a fine Craig Bellamy goal saw West Ham United grab a superb point at Chelsea.
The Hammers were full-value for a draw that extended their unbeaten Premier League record away from the Boleyn Ground to four matches. The point also lifted United above Manchester City into 16th place in the table - after Newcastle United had won earlier on Sunday afternoon.
Gianfranco Zola marked his return to Stamford Bridge by making three changes from the 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, replacing calf- injury victim James Collins, Hayden Mullins and Julien Faubert with Calum Davenport, Mark Noble and Jack Collison.
As well as Zola, assistant manager Steve Clarke, fitness coach Antonio Pintus, midfielder Scott Parker and striker Carlton Cole lined up against their former club. Teenage forward Freddie Sears, who scored twice in a midweek reserve win over a Major League Soccer under-21 side, was named among the substitutes alongside fellow forwards Diego Tristan and David Di Michele.
It was Zola's starting eleven, though, who stole the show, producing a resolute, backs-to-the-wall performance that the manager would no doubt have been immensely proud of. At the back, Davenport and Matthew Upson were commanding, making countless heroic blocks and tackles as the Blues rained long-range shots on Robert Green's goal.
In midfield, youngsters Collison, Noble and Valon Behrami ran themselves to a standstill to thwart the combined talents of Deco, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, while Carlton Cole and Bellamy were also in lively form up front.
It was Bellamy who opened the scoring on 33 minutes, expertly controlling Noble's cut-back on his chest before lashing a low half-volley past Peter Cech from 12 yards. The goal, the Wales captain's second of the season, was a fitting reward for his colleagues' determined defensive display.
There can be no argument that Chelsea saw the vast majority of the ball in the opening half-hour, but Luiz Filipe Scolari's side failed to force Green into a single save. In front of the goalkeeper, Davenport, Noble and Herita Ilunga repeatedly threw their bodies into the path of Chelsea shots, denying Lampard, Ballack and Jose Bosingwa.
United's luck ran out six minutes into the second half, however, when Nicolas Anelka finished a flowing four-man move to level the scores. Mikel, half-time substitute Didier Drogba and Lampard were all involved in an exquisite one-touch move that culminated with the Frenchman notching his 14th Premier League goal of the season and the 100th of his nomadic career.
While the majority of the 41,675 supporters inside Stamford Bridge might have expected Chelsea to go on to win the game, Zola's side were not to be denied their point.
The chief reasons for that were the peerless performances of, in particular, the returning Davenport, the energetic Parker and England stopper Green. While the former blocked no fewer than five goalbound shots, Parker headed his goalkeeper's wayward punch off the goal-line and the latter produced fine stops to deny Lampard, twice, and Drogba.
Referee Mike Riley then waved away Chelsea's claims for a penalty after Lampard went to ground as he attempted to round captain Lucas Neill.
And United could even have condemned Chelsea to their third home league defeat in five matches had Cech not dived low to his right to keep out Cole's 91st minute strike following a driving 40-yard run from the tireless Behrami.
Zola's men have now won at Sunderland and drawn at both Liverpool and Chelsea in the past month and will now go into next weekend's home game with Aston Villa in confident mood.