Chelsea icon Frank Lampard scored for Manchester City to end his old club’s perfect start to the league season, while Leicester City came from 3-1 down to beat Manchester United 5-3 on a remarkable day in the Premier League on Sunday.
Lampard, Chelsea’s record scorer with 211 goals in his 13 years at Stamford Bridge and still looking out of place in City’s light blue shirt after years in Chelsea’s royal blue, came on as a late substitute and scored to give the champions a 1-1 draw against the league leaders, but he did not celebrate the goal that earned his side a point.
He left the pitch to a standing ovation from the Chelsea fans, as well as applause from the City supporters.
Earlier, United, who raced into a 2-0 lead at Leicester City and then led 3-1 with 33 minutes to play, ended up beaten 5-3 in a game that will live on as one of Leicester’s most unlikely victories of modern times.
The shocks did not stop there, with West Bromwich Albion winning 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur for their first league win of the season and Crystal Palace, also without a league win, came from behind to beat Everton 3-2 at Goodison Park.
While the most dramatic events of the day unfolded at Leicester’s King Power Stadium, the most poignant personal event took place at the Etihad Stadium, when Lampard, on a short-term loan at City from his Major League Soccer side New York City, replaced Aleksandar Kolarov with 12 minutes to play and City trailing Chelsea 1-0.
City were also down to 10 men following the 66th-minute dismissal of Pablo Zabaleta for a foul on Diego Costa and they were also a goal down to Andre Schurrle’s 71st-minute far-post tap-in following a swift break.
Enter Lampard. Not only is he Chelsea’s all-time top scorer, but he is also third on their all-time appearance list, but when James Milner crossed, Lampard struck and his low volley flew past Thibaut Courtois for City’s equalizer.
“It’s a really difficult one. I’d be unprofessional if I came on and didn’t do my job, so I’m mixed with it,” Lampard told Sky Sports. “The Chelsea fans were singing my name and it was an emotional day. It’s not how I expected to say goodbye to the Chelsea fans. I woke up this morning and didn’t know what I wanted from today, so I’m glad it’s out of the way. I guess this is a happy medium.”
Manchester United led 2-0 and 3-1 at the King Power Stadium, but finished with 10 men and no points after Leicester’s astonishing fightback.
United were 2-0 up inside 16 minutes with a header from Robin van Persie and a brilliant chip from Angel di Maria. Leonardo Ulloa headed Leicester back into the game in the 17th minute, before Ander Herrara back-heeled United 3-1 up after 57, but Leicester then replied with four unanswered goals — a David Nugent penalty after 62 minutes, an equalizer from Esteban Cambiasso after 64 minutes, the fourth from Jamie Vardy after 79 minutes when he broke into space and the fifth from Ulloa with another penalty after 83 minutes which saw young United defender Tyler Blackett red-carded.
“It was absolutely brilliant,” man-of-the-match Jamie Vardy said. “We had done our research this week and their attacking options are frightening, but the diamond formation they play leaves a lot of space behind the fullbacks and we looked to exploit that.”
Manchester United had beaten Leicester in nine of their past 10 league meetings, and drawn the other, since Leicester last beat United in the league in January 1998.
“I cannot say that I am happy,” stunned United manager Louis van Gaal told the BBC. “In the world of football, these matches happen. I was a coach at Barcelona in my first year and we were 3-0 ahead, with 15 minutes to play, and we lost 3-4. It is not good because we have the game in our pocket and gave it away. Not because of Leicester, we gave it away and I don’t like that.”
In the other early match, West Bromwich Albion climbed off the bottom of the table when they won their first game of the season, 1-0 at out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur, who started the season well, but have now lost their past two home matches.
The only goal at White Hart Lane was headed home by James Morrison after 74 minutes.
Everton, like Spurs, played in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday and, like Spurs, lost at home.
Romelu Lukaku gave Everton a ninth-minute lead, before goals from Mile Jedinak from the penalty spot, Fraizer Campbell and Yannick Bolasie put Palace ahead.
Leighton Baines scored a late penalty for Everton, who have now won only three of their past 10 games.
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