Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho (third right) scores against Manchester United during their English Premier League soccer match in Manchester, northern England, yesterday. The game ended 1-1. - Reuters

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters):

Chelsea's fightback for a 1-1 draw at Manchester United followed a half-time dressing-down by coach Jose Mourinho, who said his players were doing nothing to win yesterday's clash.

United, who won this fixture 1-0 last season, had the better of the first half but faded after the break. They are top on 35 points, followed by Chelsea on 32 and Bolton Wanderers on 24.

Chelsea were second best in the first half and trailed to a 29th-minute goal by France striker Louis Saha before rallying for a deserved draw through Ricardo Carvalho's equaliser.

"At half-time I said to my players that no more than two or three of them were performing at a high level, one was Ashley Cole, who was unbelievable, like Ricardo Carvalho," Mourinho told a news conference.

"I said to my players the biggest frustration for me in football is not when I lose but when you do nothing to win, and in the first half we didn't play well.

Don't be afraid

"I told them 'don't be afraid to lose, be afraid to go home with a bad feeling and the bad feeling comes when you play nothing'."

Mourinho's pep talk had a dramatic effect as the champions started to take the game to Alex Ferguson's Premier League leaders.

"What was wrong in the first half was the mental aspect of the game, maybe waiting for things to happen, maybe happy to just control the game and not (showing) a lot of ambition," said Mourinho.

"United were faster on the ball and winning more second balls. In the second half it was completely the opposite. It looked a new game."

Equally important was the deployment of Dutch winger Arjen Robben as a substitute. Geremi went off and his place at right back was taken by midfielder Michael Essien.

FAIR RESULT

Mourinho said: "It was a fair result. United scored in the first half because they were the best team and in the second half Chelsea were by far the best team and scored because of that.

"When the game finished I exchanged a few words with Sir Alex and we immediately agreed."

Ferguson said he had expected his side to face a torrid time after the break.

"We knew they were going to change," he said.

"For a spell we had to sit off them, they didn't make any chances and on the counter-attack we made the best two chances of the match.

"I think we were the better team today, but Chelsea do take credit, they don't stop fighting."

Looking at the title race, with his team three points ahead of second-placed Chelsea, Ferguson said: "There won't be a lot in it, hopefully we can do it, but the title is a long way to go and mistakes can be made.

"I'm just delighted the players have shown their ability today and shown they deserve to be where they are."