A goal from Robin van Persie deep into injury-time time helped Manchester United snatch a 1-1 draw with Premier League football leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Robin van Persie of Man Utd peels away as he celebrates after scoring. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Chelsea were on the brink of going six points clear at the top of the table when defender Branislav Ivanovic was sent off late on for a second bookable offence.
From the ensuing Angel di Maria free-kick, Marouane Fellaini's header was well saved by impressive Chelsea goalkeeper Thibault Courtois but van Persie followed up to score.
It had seemed Didier Drogba, making his first start in the Premier League this season, had struck the decisive blow when, in the absence of injured forwards Diego Costa and Loic Remy, he powered in a 53rd minute header to give the veteran Ivory Coast forward his first English top-flight goal since March 2012.
The result leaves Chelsea four points clear of second-placed Southampton and ensured honours were even between Jose Mourinho and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, under whom the Blues boss worked when the Dutchman was in charge of Barcelona.
Earlier, Newcastle United climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur while winless Burnley remained rooted in the relegation zone after a 3-1 loss at home to Everton.
Fresh from their first victory of the season, at home to Leicester last weekend, Newcastle came from behind at White Hart Lane to enjoy back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly eight months.
Emmanuel Adebayor's 18th-minute header gave Tottenham the lead but just six seconds after the break, Newcastle were level when Sammy Ameobi, a half-time substitute, chased down a long ball from Jack Colback and beat Spurs' goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
And their comeback was complete when Ayoze Perez, making his first Premier League start, expertly headed in a cross to the back post from Remy Cabella, another half-time substitution by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, in the 58th minute.
Victory helped Newcastle climb to 14th place and had the added bonus for their fans of dropping north-east rivals Sunderland into the bottom three.
Elsewhere, veteran Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scored twice for Everton in a comfortable win over Burnley.
