MANUEL PELLIGRINI, the Manchester City manager, said that Chelsea played like "a small team" and likened their approach to that of Stoke City after the two sides shared a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Unlike Mark Hughes' side, who recorded a surprise victory last month, the Stamford Bridge side left with a draw after substitute Frank Lampard scored a late equaliser against his former club to cancel out Andre Schuerrle's goal.

For the second successive season, Chelsea, who had a 100% record prior to kick-off, arrived looking to frustrate and primarily avoid defeat. While it paid off previously, this time they slipped up as City fought back despite having Pablo Zabaleta sent off for a second bookable offence.

"It think we played 90 minutes against a small team trying to defend, trying to keep 10 players in front of their goal, and [we were] a team that wanted to win from the beginning," he said. "I think we played against exactly the same team we played against Stoke here.

"It was very difficult for us to score but finally we did score. I don't want to analyse Chelsea. What the other teams do, it is not my duty to analyse."

Mourinho, whose relationship with Pellegrini dating back to their time in Spain could be described as frosty at best, rejected the accusations.

"Many times he says he never speaks about me and my team but he keeps doing the same thing," said the Portuguese. "I am the one that does as he says. I don't comment on his words. Don't ask me about his words, I am not interested in that.

"It is one point won because we arrived here leaders with two points more than second and we leave the stadium with a three-point lead. I don't look to direct opponents, I don't look to other clubs in a special way. I look to the table and we are leaders by three points.

"We come here to a super-difficult stadium and a super-difficult opponent and we leave in better conditions than we arrived, so good. We hit the post [through Diego Costa, who failed to score for the first time in the league this season] with a 1-0 lead and when you don't kill matches, you are in danger, especially when you play against very good teams.

"We had a tactical reaction to try to win the game. They had an emotional reaction to try not to lose the game. We were successful in our tactical change to try to win the game because we scored and had more chances to score and they were successful in their emotional reaction and in the end from my perspective the point is maybe a point that they deserve."

Mourinho let Lampard go at the end of last season and he subsequently joined City's Major League Soccer venture in New York before being loaned back to the Manchester club, but he did not want to comment on the midfielder's significant contribution to the result.

"I don't speak about players from other teams, I am sorry. I don't speak about Frank," he added. "To speak about Frank is to speak about my past with Frank, the player he was for what he means in my career.

"I will never tire to speak about this. The moment he is a Man City player, he is a Man City player. Mr Pellegrini, instead of speaking about other teams' players, should speak about Frank Lampard. I am Chelsea manager, I speak about my players. My players were fantastic."

Pellegrini, however, was only too happy to talk about the 36-year-old's contribution. "When I sent Lampard into the game I told him go and score. I was so sure Frank would play well against Chelsea because he is a very good professional," said the Chilean.

Lampard himself said: "The reception I got when I came on was amazing. I came here to do a job and it is a special and weird day.

"I know the 13 years I spent at Chelsea and there were no bad feelings so I hoped for a good reception. It was difficult day for me at the end because what do you do? You're caught in the middle. What was a win for me today? Maybe a draw and keeping the Premier League close and a reception from both sets of fans I won't forget."