FULL TIME CHELSEA 1-1 WIGAN: Emile Heskey's last gasp equaliser cancels out Michael Essien's strike to snatch a point for Wigan and almost certainly hand the title to Man United and seal the Latics' Premier League status.

Andriy Shevchenko comes on in place of John Obi Mikel.

Unbelievable this as Chelsea are caught out trying to hold on to a one-goal lead and it looks like their title hopes are in tatters here.

CHELSEA 1-1 WIGAN: Jason Koumas' great cross from the left finds EMILE HESKEY in the middle who powers the ball home.

Luis Antonio Valencia lunges in on Alex and is the second player in the book tonight.

Antoine Sibierski almost levels for Wigan but his strike from the edge of the area is parried away by Petr Cech in what is Wigan’s best chance of the night.

Salomon Kalou plays the ball in the area to Nicolas Anelka who drills a low shot right across the face of the Wigan goal.

Paul Scharner does well to deny Michael Ballack in front of goal and almost gets his head kicked off in the process.

Mario Melchiot puts a free kick high into the Chelsea area but Emile Heskey is adjudged to be climbing on a defender and a free kick goes to Chelsea.

Wigan have barely created anything in this half but they cannot be dismissed with the attacking options on the field in the final moments of this match.

Joe Cole gets past Kevin Kilbane on the right flank but lifts aball forward for Nicolas Anelka which is much too hard and Chris Kirkland collects.

We are approaching the final 10 minutes here and striker Marlon King comes on for Wigan in place of Ryan Taylor.

Joe Cole picks up the ball on the right-hand side and runs at goal before drilling a shot which just curls away from the top corner of the goal.

John Obi Mikel is chopped down outside the Wigan area by Antoine Sibierski in a great position for Chelsea. Michael Ballack takes the free kick from 25 yards but it goes over the bar.

Kevin Kilbane fouls Juliano Belletti on the right side of the Wigan area and Joe Cole plays in the free kick which is headed towards his own goal by Mario Melchiot but Chris Kirkland gathers.

Chelsea win a free kick wide out on the right which is played into the middle by Joe Cole but Paul Scharner gets up well to clear.

Salomon Kalou and Joe Cole attempt to work their way into the Wigan area but they are outmuscled and the visitors clear the danger.

Jason Koumas has not been on long but is the first player booked for a cynical lunge to bring down Michael Essien.

A good call from the official to flag Nicolas Anelka after the ball ran through to him off Michael Essien and not Wigan's Wilson Palacios as the crowd felt.

Steve Bruce makes another change with Marcus Bent going off and French forward Antoine Sibierski replacing him.

Chelsea win a free kick which is played in by Joe Cole and flicked on by Michael Essien but Alex cannot convert at the back post.

Joe Cole flicks the ball into the path of the onrushing Michael Essien but he just knocks it too far ahea dof himself as Chris Kirkland races out to gather.

Joe Cole, who has inspired Chelsea in this second half, tries his luck with an effort from outside the area but it is no problem for Chris Kirkland.

Marcus Bent tries his luck from distance but the effort is well over the top of the Chelsea goal.

Steve Bruce has responded to going behind by throwing on the attack minded Jason Koumas in place of Josip Skoko.

CHELSEA 1-0 WIGAN: Nicolas Anelka lays the ball off to MICHAEL ESSIEN and he drills a shot into the corner of Chris Kirkland's net from the edge of the area.

Closest we have come here to a goal as John Terry thumps a close-range volley from a Juliano Belletti corner off the bar, before the ball is put back into the box and Chris Kirkland denies Salomon Kalou brilliantly from close range.

Chelsea break up field and, despite looking offside, Nicolas Anelka gets in on goal only for Emmerson Boyce to get in a timely block.

Kevin Kilbane tries to lift the ball behind the Chelsea defence but Marcus Bent is offside.

Juliano Belletti goes down the right side of the Wigan area and pulls the ball into the middle but Josip Skoko is on hand to hack it clear.

Salomon Kalou works his way to the edge of the Wigan area before both Michael Ballack and then Joe Cole attempt to get a shot in on goal but he ball trickles through to Chris Kirkland.

Chelsea have looked more lively in the opening two minutes of this half than the entire first 45 minutes.

Joe Cole has already made an impact since coming on as he blasts in a shot from the edge of the area which is blocked by Paul Scharner.

Avram Grant has taken off the ineffective Florent Malouda and replaced him with Joe Cole.

The second half is underway and Chelsea will need to step up a gear if they are going to pick up the points and remain in the title race. Wigan boss Steve Bruce will no doubt want more of the same from his players in this half.

HALF TIME CHELSEA 0-0 WIGAN: Chelsea have had chances but failed to get out of first gear against a resilient Wigan side in a scrappy opening half at Stamford Bridge.

Nothing much to report in the last few minutes as the game ticks towards the half time interval.

There is booing coming from the home faithful here as Chelsea are just knocking the ball around between themselves at the back.

Paul Scharner does well to race back and get in a vital block to deny Nicolas Anelka getting a clear sight on the Wigan goal following a quick break up field.

A free kick is knocked high into the Wigan area and it finds John Terry at the back post but the ball bounces up off his chest and out for a goal kick.

There has been a lack of urgency about Chelsea again tonight which is surprising as they must win to keep their title bid alive.

The corner is played in and Josip Skoko is on hand to clear a Salomon Kalou header off the line before Nicolas Anelka can convert.

Wayne Bridge scampers away down the left and puts in a dangerous looking cross which is knocked behind for a corner.

Michael Ballack this time tries to put a ball through the Wigan defence for Nicolas Anelka but Emmerson Boyce is on hand to cut it out again.

Wigan have a little spell as Ryan Taylor puts a ball into the area which Petr Cech comes diving out to gather.

Juliano Belletti threads a great 30-yard ball through the middle but it is just too far ahead of the forwards and Chris Kirkland gathers.

Chelsea win two corners in succession which are cleared well by Wigan but signs here the home side are stepping up a gear in search of a goal.

A great save from Chris Kirkland to deny Nicolas Anelka a certain goal as his looping header from a Salomon Kalou cross is destined to drop into the net.

It has been a scrappy opening 25 minutes here and that will please Wigan who would no doubt be delighted with a point from this encounter.

Josip Skoko does well at the other end for Wigan as he heads the ball away with Michael Ballack waiting behind him. Chelsea come again and Michael Ballack trie a chip from an angle which is easily held by Chris Kirkland.

Wigan get forward again as Luis Antonio Valencia gets in a shot from a tight angle which Petr Cech knocks behind for a corner which Chelsea clear.

Ryan Taylor puts the corner in but it fails to beat the first man and Wigan get a throw in on the right. The ball is played into Chelsea's area and Paul Scharner's goal bound effort is blocked by John Terry and cleared.

Ryan Taylor lifts a free kick into the Chelsea area which the Blues fail to clear properly and concede a corner.

Juliano Belletti picks up the ball wide out on the right, bursts in field and hits an effort which is always rising over the Wigan bar.

Luis Antonio Valencia's cross is only headed to the edge of the area where Ryan Taylor is on hand but his shot is poor and well wide of the goal.

Michael Essien - moved from right-back to midfield in place of Frank Lampard - threads a ball through for Nicolas Anelka but Chris Kirkland races out of his area to clear.

Alex fires a long ball towards the Chelsea forwards but it drops out for a goal kick so just that Nicolas Anelka header the best chance in the opening 10 minutes.

Paul Scharner knocks another long ball up field towards Emile Heskey but again the powerful forward is a yard offside.

It's not the strongest looking Chelsea side with Frank Lampard pulling out for personal reasons but Avram Grant will have one eye on the tough trip to Everton on Thursday.

Nicolas Anelka misses a golden chance to score as he heads wide from a Salomon Kalou cross after he got the beating of Kevin Kilbane down the right flank.

A long searching free kick into the Chelsea area is well controlled by Marcus Bent but he then hooks the ball out with his second touch.

Michael Essien threads the ball through for Salomon Kalou down the right flank but his cross into the middle is guided back to Chris Kirkland by the defence.

A fairly lively opening few moments from Wigan as Marcus Bent's ball towards Emile Heskey sees the former Liverpool man offside.

We are underway as Chelsea look to take their unbeaten home run to 80 games and move to within three points of league leaders Manchester United, while Wigan need the points to go eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Wigan starting XI: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Skoko, Palacios, Taylor, Heskey, Bent.

Wigan boss Steve Bruce names the same side which defeated Birmingham last weekend with skipper Mario Melchiot returning to face his former club.

Chelsea starting XI: Cech, Belletti, Alex, Terry, Bridge, Ballack, Essien, Obi, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda

Avram Grant is without Frank Lampard, whose been forced to withdraw from the starting XI, so Juliano Belletti deputises. Alex starts in defence in place of Ricardo Carvalho with Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda in attack as Didier Drogba is rested.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech has been named in Chelsea's side to face Wigan at Stamford Bridge with a chin guard to protect 50 stitches in a facial wound.