London’s best draw no comfort

THIS was a great result for Manchester and a fantastic advert for English football, with a pulsating game full of thrills, spills and controversy – but one that ultimately left both London clubs further behind their Northern rivals in the title race.

Emmanuel Adebayor opened the scoring for Spurs before Daniel Sturridge equalised midway through the first-half, and both sides had enough chances to get the three points.

Even in the closing minutes, both teams had great chances to steal victory, with Ramires putting a free header wide of the Spurs goal shortly before Petr Cech made a terrific save to keep out Adebayor’s shot in the final minute of stoppage time.

It was breathless stuff, and cannot have done much for the health of Harry Redknapp, who had heart surgery only a month ago.

While all eyes – and plenty of abuse – aimed at John Terry, it was football that took centre stage with a match that got the pulse racing and lit up North London like the Christmas lights in Oxford Street.

It was a game that promised much, and it did not disappoint. It ebbed and flowed as first Tottenham and then Chelsea got on top just as they have been swapping places in the table with regularity.

Spurs were quickest out of the blocks, and just as against Manchester City last week, Chelsea struggled to get hold of the ball in the early stages.

Gareth Bale, declared fit to play after missing last week’s win over Sunderland, showed no ill-effects from his ankle injury and ran at Chelsea from the start, as only he can. In the third minute he skipped in from the left past two players before firing in a shot that Petr Cech saved with his feet.

That should have been a wake-up call for the Blues, but they were caught napping when Adebayor opened the scoring in the eighth minute. Sandro set it up when he tackled Sturridge on the halfway line, releasing Bale to run on and cross low into the area. Cech and Terry were both slow to react, allowing Adebayor to sneak in and sidefoot home from ten yards.

The home supporters were ecstatic, and the way their side continued to dominate the visitors, they started to dream of a thumping win. But as is so often the case, Chelsea fought their way back into the game.

Juan Mata forced a good save from Brad Friedel with a stinging shot, and Sturridge thumped the loose ball over the bar. It was still against the run of play when Chelsea equalised, and the goal was not without controversy. The ball clearly struck Ashley Cole’s arm as he charged past Rafael Van der Vaart, but referee Howard Webb waved play on and the England full-back crossed like Bale for Sturridge to finish from close range.

Honours even. Didier Drogba hit the bar with a thumping shot after great chest control, and Andre Villas-Boas was forced to change his tactics when Branislav Ivanovic and John Obi Mikel limped off before half-time.

But the introduction of Oriel Romeu gave Chelsea more composure in midfield, where Luka Modric had bossed for most of the half.

The Croatian and Scott Parker were buzzing in the Tottenham midfield, but slowly Raul Mareiles and Ramires started to create openings for Sturridge and Mata.

As the game opened up, so the chances came and went.

Friedel saved with his legs when Drogba put Ramires through on goal, but the Brazilian’s worst miss came shortly before the end when he found himself unmarked from Mata’s corner but headed wide.

But Adebayor, who had seen one goal disallowed for offside, should have done better in stoppage time when Bale put him through but he allowed Cech to save at full stretch.

A winning goal at that stage would have been cruel on the losers, but in truth both sides have lost ground to the Manchester clubs and have a lot of catching up to do.

Tottenham subs: Pavlyuchenko for Van der Vaert, 46.

Chelsea subs: Ferreira for Ivanovic, 34; Romeu for Mikel, 45; Torres for Drogba, 77.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).