MANCHESTER, Nov 27: Champions Chelsea fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with leaders Manchester United on Sunday that kept the teams locked in a two-horse race for the Premier League title.

France striker Louis Saha put United in front with a well-taken goal in the 29th minute but Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho headed home in the 69th to secure a valuable draw for the Blues at Old Trafford.

Chelsea, champions for the past two seasons but playing second fiddle to United this term, remain three points behind the leaders.

United, who won this fixture 1-0 last season, had the better of the first half but faded after the break. They are top on 35 points, followed by Chelsea on 32 and Bolton Wanderers on 24.

The hosts signalled their intentions early with Wayne Rooney, playing a day after agreeing a contract extension until 2012, rising to send a second-minute header over the bar.

Rooney and Ryan Giggs showed plenty of willing, along with Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo, but Chelsea's defence buttressed by captain John Terry and Carvalho looked solid.

Chelsea's attack was quiet with playmaker Michael Ballack failing to provide any bite and Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko chasing shadows.

Keeper Carlo Cudicini tipped a 25-metre free kick from Ronaldo over the bar before the match swung United's way.

Giggs started the move by picking out Rooney, whose neat pass found Saha outside the area. As Carvalho backed off, the Frenchman curled the ball into the corner from 20 metres.

Chelsea reacted well to the setback and United keeper Edwin van der Sar had to punch away a fierce Geremi drive.

Coach Jose Mourinho reshuffled the Chelsea pack at halftime, replacing right-back Geremi with winger Arjen Robben and pulling right midfielder Michael Essien back as defensive cover.

The visitors now looked sharper and Drogba, booked for an elbow on defender Nemanja Vidic in the first half, came close with a header over the top.

The game was now opening up, with Rooney threatening to punish Chelsea on the break and Frank Lampard peppering Van der Sar's goal from distance as the champions turned up the pressure.

It paid off when Lampard curled over a corner from the right and Carvalho leapt highest to score with a header.

Chelsea fans in the corner of Old Trafford burst into celebration with chants of “that's why we're champions, that's why we're champions.”

Sensing a chance to win it, Mourinho threw on Joe Cole for the ineffective Shevchenko in the 75th minute and Chelsea finished the stronger of the two sides.

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