As he surveyed the end of a run of five league wins with five league clean sheets, Carlo Ancelotti gave credit to Manchester City's performance.

However he also recognised that some important decisions went against his side and some big chances to save at least a point were allowed to slip away.

When Frank Lampard's first penalty miss since and a home match against Charlton in September 2006 was followed quickly by Didier Drogba shooting wide after carving through the defence, the Chelsea fans present in soggy Manchester began to accept it wasn't going to be their team's night.

It had started so well. A fifth own-goal in our favour in 11 games had given a seventh minute lead but a disputed equaliser in the first-half was followed by a winner from a free-kick that the Chelsea manager also contested.

'We are disappointed because we think the referee did two important mistakes,' said Ancelotti. 'Micah Richards did a handball for their first goal and the second situation for me was not clear because I think Ricardo Carvalho cleared the ball cleanly.

'I am surprised because I consider Howard Webb a fantastic ref with experience, but I don't want to speak more than this because it happened and I want to look forward.

'Manchester City did a very good game. They put strong pressure on our midfield and we found it difficult to play. But we had opportunities at the end to return a draw, the penalty and through Didier, but this happens.'

There was a morsel of good news. The knock on the knee that forced John Terry off is not serious and the captain should be okay next week. Terry was one of six Chelsea players booked but the manager does not see it as a sign of ill-discipline.

'We didn't lose control of the game but towards the end, because we had a lot of players in attack, we had to play at the back with some one-against-ones and it is easy to take a yellow card if you lose the fight with the opponent.'

City manager Mark Hughes was naturally happy having seen his side follow up a midweek Carling Cup win over Arsenal.

'We came back against the outstanding team in this league and it doesn't happen very often against Chelsea.

'I think maybe Frank [Lampard] understood the importance of converting that penalty and that brought extra pressure.'

Keeper Shay Given had already given credit to former Chelsea keeper Kevin Hitchcock, now his coach, for preparing to face Lampard spot-kicks.

'I don't think we are alone in that,' reckoned Hughes. 'At the level we are competing in, we take any opportunity you can. The small percentages can make the difference between winning and losing.'

'Today we suffered pressure by the midfield players of Manchester City and when the opposing team put pressure on, we have to have more confidence to play,' summed up Ancelotti.

'We do not need to have a big reaction because the team is still in a good moment, we showed good play today, but it was difficult because Man City played very well. We have two points more than the second team and we don't have reason to be worried.'