Chelsea’s charge towards the Premiership title stuttered on Sunday when Manchester City goalkeeper David James kept out Jose Mourinho’s men in a 0-0 stalemate at Stamford Bridge.
City are the only side to have beaten Chelsea this season.
They won 1-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium in October, and Mourinho’s side saw their lead over Manchester United extended by only a point at the top of the Premiership on Sunday.
They now hold a nine-point advantage over United and the signs were that the Ashley Cole ”tapping up” affair was proving a distraction.
The Blues were forced to issue a statement saying they were cooperating with a Premier League investigation into allegations that Chelsea have illegally tried to sign Cole from Arsenal behind the north London club’s back.
On the pitch, Petr Cech may have kept his ninth successive Premiership clean sheet but it was opposite number James who excelled for City.
He produced a string of stunning saves to keep out Chelsea and may now see his England chances enhanced the day after Sven-Goran Eriksson announced his squad for the forthcoming friendly with The Netherlands.
The first 20 minutes passed virtually without incident as City prepared for an afternoon consisting of stiff rearguard action.
In the 24th minute, Damien Duff got sight of the goal. He seized on some sloppy play by City’s Kizito Musampa but could only shoot well over.
Four minutes later, new signing Jiri Jarosik dispossessed Paul Bosvelt but could again only manage to shoot over.
In the 32nd minute, City’s first meaningful attack saw striker Robbie Fowler fire in a snapshot from 18 yards that was too weak to trouble Cech.
At the other end, Duff cut inside Sylvain Distin and shot fiercely at James. The England number-two goalkeeper saved well and Mateja Kezman was guilty of an outrageous miss from inside the six-yard box.
Ten minutes before half-time, Frank Lampard’s corner was met with a thunderous header by Jarosik but James was again equal to it as he tipped over superbly.
In the 39th minute, Shaun-Wright Phillips appeared in an unfamiliar right-sided position.
Neither Wayne Bridge nor William Gallas could prevent the cross from the byline and Fowler nearly scored with a diving header after John Terry slipped.
In the second half, Kezman nearly atoned for his earlier miss when he connected well with a 47th-minute volley but James gathered comfortably.
Two minutes later, the impressive Joey Barton swiftly took the ball down and sent a skidding half-volley narrowly wide from 25 yards.
Then the faintest touch by James denied Eidur Gudjohnsen. Duff’s low cross saw the grounded James tip the ball away from the in-rushing Gudjohnsen.
In the 56th minute, a mazy dribble by Wright-Phillips resulted in a low shot that went just wide as Wayne Bridge stood off.
Duff then weaved his way through the City defence but was adjudged fouled by Paul Bosvelt just outside the area.
Lampard’s shot was saved superbly by James with his legs.
But James saved his best for injury-time when Lampard was on the end of Terry’s flick-on. His vicious volley saw James produce an incredible one-handed save from point-blank range. — Sapa-AFP