Tevez return lifts City in title chase

Carlos Tevez, left, fights for the ball with Chelsea's Mikel John Obi 

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini hailed Carlos Tevez after defeat of Chelsea. Tevez had made an 'incredible assist' for the winning goal while playing for the first time since mid-September following his falling-out with Mancini.

City's 2-1 victory closed the gap to the leaders, Manchester United, to a single point and a victory, or even a draw at Stoke, would allow City to re-take the lead, at least until United host Fulham on Monday.

City had gone behind to a 60th-minute deflected shot by Gary Cahill that had Mancini admitting made him feel it was "squeaky-bum time".

Sergio Agüero's 78th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot was followed by Tevez's clever pass that played in Nasri to score in the 85th minute and the manager said: "I am pleased with all the players because tonight they expended a lot of energy to win this game. Carlos is not 100%. But when he plays, he knows where he should take the ball. He knows football and it was important because he did an incredible assist for Samir.

Mario Balotelli was taken off at half-time, with Mancini admitting: "I didn't like how he played, so I made a tactical sub. Only this." So will Tevez and Agüero now become his main strikers? "Carlos needs time. It is not easy for him, but it's important that, now he is here, in 10 days or two weeks he can find good form and be important to us. He was happy after the game, like all the players."