Premier League: Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1

Samir Nasri’s late winner saw Manchester City come from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

Gary Cahill capitalised on a poor clearance from Gareth Barry on the hour to fire a deflected shot home, his second goal in two games putting the Blues in front, but Michael Essien’s handball allowed the hosts a way back in, giving away the spot-kick for Aguero to equalise.

Carlos Tevez then marked his first appearance in six months with the key through-ball to set up Nasri’s 85th-minute winner, which moved City to within one point of English Premier League leaders Manchester United.

City started at a high tempo and had sight of goal when Pablo Zabaleta won a header in the area and passed to David Silva, but, with little time or space to set himself, the Spaniard could only blast over.

Chelsea responded quickly, Torres embarking on a keen run past two home players and feeding Juan Mata, but his compatriot was unable to shoot on target.

Nasri came closest to opening City’s account, running onto Yaya Toure’s long ball and looping a shot from the edge of the box which beat Petr Cech, but came back off the bar.

Nearing the halfway point of the first period, Torres’ cross-come-shot from the right drew an interception from Joe Hart, but the hosts remained on top, the impressive Nasri going close again when space opened for him to shoot from range. His powerful strike flew not far over.

Balotelli should have profited just before the half-hour after Lampard let him in by offering a catastrophic pass straight to his opponent, but the Italian, advancing in space, aimed his shot uncharacteristically wide.

Roberto Mancini, visibly frustrated with his side in the first half, introduced Gareth Barry at the interval for Balotelli and City came out on the front foot once more.

Nasri found the bar for a second time soon after with a mishit cross that forced Cech into action, the Blues’ keeper pushing the ball against the woodwork before it came to Silva, whose shot was deflected out.

It was Chelsea who broke through against the run of play, however. From a corner on the hour, Barry inadvertently diverted the ball into the path of Cahill with his shoulder, and the centre-back’s shot deflected off Yaya Toure past Hart to give the Blues the lead.

The setback saw Mancini immediately summon Tevez from the bench, the striker replacing Nigel de Jong in an attacking change.

And City found themselves back in it in the 77th minute when substitute Essien was penalised for clearly handballing Zabaleta’s shot in the area, Aguero stepping up to dispatch the penalty.

Reinvigorated, the home side poured forward, and they got their reward five minutes from time when the headline-maker Tevez slipped Nasri into the area with a delightful through-ball which the Frenchman dispatched coolly.