Lee Bowyer’s cool finish took spirited Birmingham out of the relegation zone and sent Chelsea crashing to a third Premier League defeat in four games.

Bowyer ran on to Cameron Jerome’s cushioned header to fire the only goal past keeper Petr Cech after 17 minutes.

The champions missed a host of chances, with Didier Drogba going closest when his wonderful header hit the bar.

But the home side also defended superbly and keeper Ben Foster made some stunning saves to secure the win.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will no doubt feel his side deserved their victory, not least for their hugely impressive rearguard action, although no-one could argue they were slightly fortunate to be ahead at the interval.

Ancelotti ‘trusts squad’ despite Birmingham defeat

Carlo Ancelotti’s men were heavily criticised for a sloppy defensive display in the humbling 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland last week, and they began with the look of a side desperate to prove it was a mere blip.

But Chelsea, who only remain top of the Premier League on goal difference following Manchester United’s victory over Wigan, wasted at least five glorious chances before the break and that set the tone for a frustrating afternoon in the west Midlands.

The return of Alex at centre-half seemed to do the trick in restoring confidence to the Chelsea ranks, while Paulo Ferreira’s switch to right-back and Salomon Kalou’s recall certainly helped the balance.

And in a bright start from the visitors, the lively if somewhat erratic Kalou rolled an early effort wide after a wonderful first-time chest pass from Drogba.

The pair then switched roles and Kalou teed up a one-on-one chance for his fellow Ivorian with a glorious pass but Foster narrowed the angle expertly to pull off the first of a series of impressive saves.

Despite Chelsea’s early promise it was the one change that Birmingham had made to their starting XI that proved the game’s decisive moment.

Bowyer, only selected because of an ankle injury to Craig Gardner, was afforded the freedom of the penalty box on 17 minutes and the 33-year-old rolled back the years to burst through and coolly slot past Cech.

Although the goal came through the heart of the much-talked-about Chelsea defence, it was the midfield’s failure to track Bowyer’s run that allowed him to get on the end of Jerome’s astute nod down.

Chelsea continued to dictate the terms, though, and the chances continued to come – mainly for Drogba.

First the striker forced a staggering save from Foster, who dived low to his left to keep out the striker’s fierce close-range downward header from Nicolas Anelka’s cross.

Foster also denied Drogba from a deflected free-kick and then last season’s Premier League top scorer saw his sensational header crash back off the corner of post and bar and to safety.

Ashley Cole also forced a decent block from Foster at his near post after exchanging passes with Kalou – and Ivanovic and Alex and both headed over from Malouda corners.

The only noteworthy opportunity at the other end almost led to a freak goal for Jerome when an Alex clearance rebounded off the striker but went just wide.

Alex McLeish’s side tightened up after the break, standing off Chelsea and letting them have possession until the final third.

The tactics worked for 30 minutes as Chelsea, still desperately missing Frank Lampard and Michael Essien at the heart of the midfield, dominated possession but barely threatened the home goal.

A rare attempt on goal from Carlo Ancelotti’s men saw the excellent Roger Johnson make a last-ditch challenge to prevent Ramires firing at goal and although Chelsea screamed for a penalty, referee Mark Halsey seemed to get his call spot-on.

That signalled the start of a frantic last 15 minutes and Drogba saw another free-kick saved by Foster while Kalou headed wide.

Birmingham’s excellent defensive organisation was being stretched to the limit as Chelsea piled forward.

Proud McLeish praises keeper Foster

Ivanovic had the pick of the chances but his towering header from Malouda’s cross was somehow beaten away by the inspired England keeper.

But there was no late boost and Chelsea slipped to successive league defeats for the first time in four-and-a-half years after a miserable week in which assistant manager Ray Wilkins was also sacked.

And the home side went on to earn only their second league success in 12 games and their first league win over Chelsea since 1980.

Barclays Premier League table snapshot

As it stood on 20 Nov 2010 23:59 UK

Manchester City and Manchester United fought out a dour derby that failed to live up to expectations at Eastlands.

United were the more composed side as they extended their unbeaten Premier League start to 12 games – but the failure to capitalise on a greater share of possession meant Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the table to four points, courtesy of their win against Fulham.

Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City lacked craft and guile, failing to seriously trouble United’s defence, although the tireless Carlos Tevez brought a fine first-half save from Edwin van der Sar with a 20-yard free-kick.

United’s best chances came when Patrice Evra burst into the area only to shoot straight at Joe Hart, while Dimitar Berbatov also tested the City keeper with an overhead kick after the break.

Sir Alex Ferguson, without Ryan Giggs in a Manchester derby for the first time in 19 years, will be satisfied with United’s overall display, but may regard it as a opportunity lost given his side’s superiority on the ball.

City, for their part, could never exert any authority, despite the hard running of Tevez, although the late – arguably too late – introduction of Adam Johnson almost created a winner for Pablo Zabaleta, who wasted a presentable opening.

A limp first 45 minutes betrayed the lively exchanges in the build-up, with barely a chance worthy of the name as caution ruled Eastlands.

The visitors were more comfortable in possession, and one such passage of play led to an opening for Evra inside the area, but his finish was too close to Hart.

Tevez, such a central figure in Manchester derbies these days, had been contained comfortably by Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, but almost came out of his shell to break the deadlock after 35 minutes.

He curled a 20-yard free-kick towards the top corner, but Van der Sar was able to move his left and claw his effort away in relative comfort.

United continued to look the more ordered side after the break, and when Berbatov was on target with a bicycle kick, Hart was perfectly positioned to make the save.

As in the opening period, both teams seemed incapable of carving out clear chances and the respective managers made changes in an attempt to break the deadlock, with Johnson replacing James Milner for City and United’s emerging young striker Javier Hernandez coming on for Berbatov.

City finally got a clear sight of Van der Sar’s goal with four minutes remaining when Johnson’s pass fell kindly for Zabaleta, but his effort was too high to trouble Van der Sar – and it would have been harsh on United had they snatched a winner.

Premier League table snapshot

As it stood on 10 Nov 2010 23:59 UK

Premier League 06 November 2010 Result:

• Birmingham2-2West HamFT
• Blackburn2-1WiganFT
• Blackpool2-2EvertonFT
• Bolton4-2TottenhamFT
• Fulham1-1Aston VillaFT
• Man Utd2-1WolvesFT
• Sunderland2-0StokeFT

Premier League table

Saturday, 6 November 2010 18:20 UK

Champ Lge Group H table snapshot

As it stood on 3 Nov 2010 23:59 UK

Leon’s goal saved Jose Mourinho from his first defeat at Real

Substitute Pedro Leon’s injury-time goal rescued a draw for Real Madrid at AC Milan as the Spanish side reached the last 16 of the Champions League.

Filippo Inzaghi had scored twice to put Milan in front after Gonzalo Higuain had given Real a first-half lead.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich joined Chelsea and Real in the last 16 with a 4-0 victory over CFR Cluj-Napoca.

And Marseille made Champions League history scoring the most away goals in the competition beating MSK Zilina 7-0.

Leon’s last-gasp heroics saved Real coach Jose Mourinho from suffering defeat on his return to the San Siro, where he coached Inter Milan for two years.

Real came within inches of taking the lead on 20 minutes but Andrea Pirlo twice headed off the line, first from Higuain’s header and then Angel Di Maria’s volleyed follow-up.

Moments later Kevin-Prince Boateng played in Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was one-on-one with Iker Casillas but his weak shot from an angle hit the keeper’s legs.

Real took the lead just before the break after Di Maria ran at the defence and slipped in Higuain as Alessandro Nesta tried to play offside but stepped up too late, allowing the Argentine to finish coolly from seven yards.

But Milan then sent on veteran Inzaghi who turned the game on its head after a series of Real errors.

Pepe slipped when favourite to reach a Gennaro Gattuso through ball, allowing Ibrahimovic to run in on goal from the left, the Portuguese centre-half even tripping up team-mate Sergio Ramos when trying to do likewise to the big Swede.

Ibrahimovic then slipped as he went to cross but Casillas had already committed himself to come out and as the ball went behind him, he let it slip through his hands, presenting Inzaghi with an easy header home from three yards.

Ten minutes later, Inzaghi had repeated the trick following another Madrid defensive disaster as the master poacher was allowed to run on to a long Gattuso ball forward – the defenders claiming in vain he was offside – and slipping the ball under the advancing Casillas for his 46th Champions League goal.

But then Mourinho threw on Leon and deep into injury time fellow substitute Karim Benzema slipped him in to shoot home between Christian Abbiati’s legs as Real’s coach continued his unbeaten run at the club.

Elsewhere in that group Auxerre defeated Ajax 2-1 to keep alive their hopes of an extended run in the competition – and dent the Dutch side’s chances of progressing.

Marseille produced arguably the performance of the night to boost their hopes of qualification.

Didier Deschamps’ side produced a stunning 7-0 away win, with Andre Pierre Gignac’s hat-trick the highlight.

Gignac scored twice inside the first 21 minutes and further efforts from Gabriel Heinze (24) and Loic Remy (36) made it 4-0 at half-time.

Lucho Gonzalez got a fifth six minutes after the restart, Gignac wrapped up his treble with a 54th-minute header, before Lucho completed the scoring in the 63rd minute.

The French side now face a fight with Spartak Moscow for the second qualifying spot, after Chelsea beat the Russians 4-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Mario Gomez impressed as Bayern Munich made sure of top spot in Group E with a convincing 4-0 defeat of Cluj.

Gomez scored a hat-trick, netting in the 12th, 24th and 70th minutes, before Thomas Muller rounded off a fourth success in as many games for the visitors.

Roma are best placed to join the German side in the last 16 after prevailing 3-2 in an entertaining game with Basel.