Final score: Man City 1 Chelsea 1

MANCHESTER CITY manager Manuel Pellegrini claimed Chelsea played like “a small team” and likened their approach to Stoke in the 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Unlike the Potters, who recorded a surprise victory last month, the Stamford Bridge side left with a draw after substitute Frank Lampard scored a late equaliser against his former club to cancel out Andre Schurrle’s goal.

For the second successive season Chelsea, who had a 100 per cent record prior to kick-off, came looking to frustrate and primarily avoid defeat.

While it paid off previously this time they slipped up as City fought back despite having Pablo Zabaleta sent off for a second bookable offence.

“It think we played 90 minutes against a small team trying to defend, trying to keep ten players in front of their goal, and (we were) a team that wanted to win from the beginning,” he said.

“I think we played against exactly the same team we played against Stoke here.

“It was very difficult for us to score but finally we did score. I don’t want to analyse Chelsea. What the other teams do, it is not my duty to analyse.”

Mourinho, whose relationship with Pellegrini dating back to their time in Spain could be described as frosty at best, rejected the accusations. “Many times he says he never speaks about me and my team but he keeps doing the same thing,” said the Portuguese.

“I am the one that does as he says. I don’t comment on his words. Don’t ask me about his words, I am not interested in that.

“It is one point won because we arrived here leaders with two points more than second and we leave the stadium with a three-point lead.

“I don’t look to direct opponents, I don’t look to other clubs in a special way. I look to the table and we are leaders by three points.’’ Mourinho let Lampard go at the end of last season and he joined City’s Major League Soccer venture in New York being loaned back to the parent club, but he did not want to comment on the midfielder’s significant contribution to the result.

“I don’t speak about players from other teams, I am sorry.

I don’t speak about Frank,” he added.

“To speak about Frank is to speak about my past with Frank, the player he was for what he means in my career.

“I will never tire to speak about this. The moment he is a Man City player, he is a Man City player.

“Mr Pellegrini, instead of speaking about other teams’ players, should speak about Frank Lampard.

“I am Chelsea manager, I speak about my players. My players were fantastic.”

Pellegrini, however, was only too happy to talk about the 36-year-old’s contribution.

“When I sent Lampard into the game I told him go and score. I was so sure Frank would play well against Chelsea because he is a very good professional,” said the Chilean.

Louis van Gaal hit out at his Manchester United players after watching them crumble to a 5-3 defeat to Leicester.

United raced into a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Robin van Persie, Ander Herrera and Angel di Maria, who chipped Kasper Schmeichel with a delightful goal in the 16th minute before Leonardo Ulloa banged in a header.

Marcos Rojo missed a clear header from four yards and full debutant Radamel Falcao struck the bar, but Van Gaal’s team then went to pieces.

Jamie Vardy and Estebian Cambiasso found the net after some terrible defending while David Nugent and Ulloa also scored penalties to seal the Foxes’ first home win over the Red Devils in 29 years.

“We start last match against QPR very good with a new team, new players and then we played very well here, but we gave the game away,” the United manager said.

“Leicester had five shots on goal, and that was it. These five goals were existing because we made errors.’’