Super Frankie Lampard sang the Chelsea fans, even though he had just come off the bench and scored an equaliser that denied his former club three points at the Etihad Stadium tonight.
Andre Schurrle had put the Blues into a second half lead after they had come under the cosh of Manchester City for most of the game up to that point.
Only when Aleksander Kolarov was sent off for a second bookable offence did the Londoners show serious attacking intent and the German struck with clinical efficiency.
Then with 11 minutes left, Lampard came off the bench, and with five minutes had put the ball in the back of the Chelsea net.
The early exchanges were all from the home side as the Chelsea rearguard looked decidedly rattle.
Thankfully two early cornerS and almost total possession from the light blues came to nothing. A glancing header from Eden Dzeko scuffed past Thibaut Courtois's goal on seven minutes A a minute later Yaya Toure had a more powerful header on target, but Courtois was its equal.
Chelsea's only respite from the onslaught came when Willian was fouled in the City half on 11 minutes.
The Londoners eventually got into the pace of the game and started to retain the ball better and high up the field, but not close enough to worry City goalkeeper Joe Hart.
A shout for a foul on Dzeko on 27 minutes, in the Chelsea penalty area as the striker and Nemanja Matic clashed was met by a disdainful wave of the arms by the referee.
Sergio Aguero was next up to test the Chelsea defence but his half-volleyed right-footer sliced high and wide of Courtois's crossbar on the half hour.
Chelsea first effort on goal came three minutes later but Gary Cahill could not steer a Cesc Fabregas free-kick into the net. A Call for hand ball As the ball zipped in the melee was again dismissed by Dean.
This was quickly followed by another 'no' from the referee as Dzeko went to ground In the penalty area from a robust but fair challenge from Costa on 35 minutes.
Chelsea almost scored on the stroke of half-time when Branislav Ivanovic's header from a Fabregas corner was almost met by the outstretched boot of Costa but the ball was kicked out of his path for another corner.
Neither manager made a change at half-time and the result was exactly the same as the first, City on the front foot, pushing Chelsea back and Chelsea manfully resisting their attacks.
Dean was forced into yet another decision regarding a penalty, three minutes into the restart, this time Ivanovic appeared to put his arm across in-running Toure. The Ivory Coast midfielder hit the deck but Dean ignored the appeal.
A thumping drive from Fernandinho on 55 minutes, go the City fans off their seats but that was not to celebrate a goal but to get out of the way from the wayward effort.
Courtois and Ramires were then on hand to thwart City again - the first from an Agureo shot, the second to clear the rebounded effort.
Jose Mourinho decided to make a double substitution, with Mikel and Andre Schurrle replacing Willian and Ramires on 62 minutes.
Man City were then reduced to 10 men On 65 minutes when, Aleksandar Kolarov, already booked for a foul in the first half, scythed down Costa in the middle of the park.
Dean, to his credit, could do no more than brandish a second yellow and then red card.
City boss Manuel Pelligrini decided to sacrifice striker Dzeko for full-back Bacary Sagna.
But with the advantage in numbers to Chelsea they decided to use it in attack. And with 20 minutes of the game left, Ivanovic started a counter-attacking move, passing to Costa who then fed the ball wide to the right to Hazard. The Belgium midfielder sent in the perfect curling ball across goal and up popped Schurrle, at the far post to tuck the ball home, to give the visitors a sensational, against the run of play lead.
Speed merchant Jesus Navas came on for Fernandino two minutes later for city.
Costa had a great chance to double the lead on 76 minutes when he met a Schurrle free-kick full on the forehead but the ball went straight to Hart.
Frank Lampard, a Chelsea hero then entered the fray, replacing Kolorov, much to the delight of City and Chelsea fans who gave him a justifiably Loud applause, even shouting his name for the next five minutes,
With 10 minutes on the clock, another quick Chelsea counter-attack saw Costa wriggle free and he then rattled the left upright of Hart with a low left-footed drive from just outside the City penalty area.
It just had to be and who should level the scores but Frank Lampard. A sweeping move to the left saw the ball cut across goal By James Milner and in came Lampard, only in the pitch for five minutes, to get ahead of John Terry and tuck home a smart right footer at Courtois's near post, from eight yards out.
The Chelsea legend decided not to celebrate but the damage had already been done.
Mourinho then brought on Drogba for Costa in an attempt to wrestle back the initiative as the minutes ticked on.
But it was not to be and Chelsea 100 per cent league record goes with only a point but they still are sitting pretty at the top of the table.
Teams:
Chelsea, Courtois, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Ramires, Hazard, Costa, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta
Subs, Cech, Luis, Oscar, Drogba, Mikel, Schurrle, Remy
Mam City, Hart, Mangala, Kompany, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Milner, Fernandino, Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Aguero
Subs, Caballero, Demichellis, Sagna, Clichy, Lampard, Navas, Nasri
Referee, Mike Dean