MICHAEL BALLACK landed a stunning blow on Manchester United's title dream.

The Chelsea star grabbed both goals to fire his side right back into the championship race.

The Blues are now level pegging with United, ensuring the title tussle will go down to the very last day of the season.

Chelsea started well with Michael Essien forcing a diving save from Edwin van der Sar.

United were then rocked with the early removal of Nemanja Vidic, who was taken off on a stretcher with a nasty facial injury sustained by an accidental clash with Didier Drogbas knee.

Chelsea should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Joe Cole got clear of the United defence.

After initially losing the ball, the forward lashed the ball against the bar when it rebounded to him inside the area.

Soon afterwards, Cole shot just wide from the angle of the six-yard box when fed the ball by Essien.

Chelsea thought they should have been awarded a spot-kick in the 34th minute when Drogba went down under a robust challenge from Mikael Silvestre.

But referee Alan Wiley waved away Chelseas appeals, while Uniteds bench accused the striker of diving.

The opening half looked set to end goalless when Ballack grabbed the opener by heading home from Didier Drogbas cross.

Chelsea needed to stay strong after the interval but a monumental blunder by Ricardo Carvalho in the 57th minute gifted United an equaliser.

The Portuguese defender passed the ball straight to the on running Rooney, who burst forward to emphatically slot past Petr Cech.

Chelsea piled forward in a desperate search for a winner and Drogba went close with a free-kick.

United held firm until Michael Carrick was adjudged to have handled in the box on 86 minutes and Ballack confidently stroked home the penalty.

Stamford Bridge endured a nerve-wracking final few minutes but exploded with joy at the final whistle.