Chelsea still in the hunt

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Chelsea's dreams appeared over after Ricardo Carvalho's blunder gifted United a 55th minute equaliser to Wayne Rooney.

But Ballack, who had given Chelsea a 45th minute lead, sealed a vital win by slotting home a penalty five minutes from time after referee Alan Wiley adjudged that Michael Carrick had handled a Michael Essien cross.

United, who left Cristiano Ronaldo on the substitutes' bench, were rocked in the ninth minute when Nemanja Vidic was carried off on a stretcher with a facial injury after being caught by Didier Drogba's knee.

Chelsea should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Joe Cole lashed the ball against the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

However, Chelsea took the lead in the 45th minute when Drogba's cross was headed home at the far post by the unmarked Ballack.

The goal sparked emotional scenes as all the Chelsea players held up Frank Lampard's number eight shirt with the message 'Pat Lampard - R.I.P' in tribute to Lampard's mother, who passed away from pneumonia on Thursday.

But United got themselves back into the game thanks to a mistake by Carvalho. The Portuguese defender passed the ball straight to Rooney, who fired home, although he appeared to injure himself in the process and was soon substituted.

The game erupted into controversy in the 85th minute when Wiley awarded a penalty for handball against Carrick. Ballack kept his cool to put Chelsea level on points with United.

In the dying minutes United were twice thwarted by goalline clearances - Ronaldo's left-foot drive being hacked away by Ashley Cole, before substitute Andriy Shevchenko nodded clear Darren Fletcher's diving header following a goalmouth scramble.