Commentary: Chelsea 1 Wigan 1

Essien put Chelsea in front

90 + 3 - ALL OVER: The final whistle goes as the match ends 1-1. Chelsea's title hopes appear to be in tatters as Heskey strikes late on to cancel out Essien's opener. Stay with Skysports.com for all the post-match reaction.

90 + 2 - GOAL WIGAN!!! Heskey equalises for Wigan. Late drama at Stamford Bridge as the striker meets an excellent cross from Koumas to prod in at the far post.

90 - Added time: There will be three minutes added time.

87 - Booking: Valencia is booked for following through on Alex.

86 - Could have been curtains: Anelka drags just wide and Chelsea are then lucky as Sibierski is denied by a good save from Cech.

84 - All quiet: Stamford Bridge is very quiet, again. Chelsea do not look like a team challenging for the title, but Wigan's defence has been excellent.

81 - Cole praise: Cole has been the difference here and Jamie S believes he the midfielder deserves to be in the running for PFA Player of the Year. He has had an excellent game, but there could be a sting in the tail.

79 - Substitution: Taylor makes way for Marlon King. Looks like Wigan are going with three up front.

77 - Cole chance: I may have done Chelsea a disservice as Cole fires one narrowly wide. It appears Chelsea fancy a second.

76 - Over the top: It was Ballack, but his effort drifted well over the cross bar.

75 - Danger: Chelsea have a free-kick 25 yards from goal. It looks like Ballack is eyeing it up.

74 - All a bit flat: Things have gone a bit quiet again. In trademark style Chelsea appear to be settling for the 1-0.

70 - Down in the dumps: Wigan, who have won only once on their league travels this season, look like they are out of ideas as their spoiling game plan has been thwarted.

66 - Booking: Koumas goes in the book for bringing down Essien. Chelsea are cruising now.

63 - Substitution: Wigan are going for it as they bring on Antoine Sibierski for Marcus Bent.

60 - Let me off: 'Please Forgive Me' David Gray, who has been in touch, but I have been slow off the mark following all the action. David suggested Chelsea were 'Dead in the Water' if they didn't win tonight. Looks like the Blues heard your words. Will Grant still be receiving contact from Roman's size nines?

57 - Deserved: Chelsea have produced a much better performance in the second half and are deservedly in front as Kirkland denied Kalou with an excellent save prior to Essien's goal. Cole is the difference.

56 - Substitution: Before the game re-starts, Wigan bring on Jason Koumas for Skoko.

55 - GOAL CHELSEA!!! Essien breaks the deadlock. Anelka held the ball up well and lays it off to his team-mate who slots in with his side foot from a central position 18 yards out.

52 - Excellent defending: Wigan's defenders are throwing themselves at everything as Chelsea crank up a bit of pressure and John Terry cracks the cross bar with a volley from a corner.

48 - Ruffling feathers: Cole crunches Kilbane with a fair challenge and then riles up the Chelsea fans. Cole has made an excellent start and looks twice as good as Malouda. I thought the Frenchman looked an excellent buy, but he has been a real let down.

47 - Get in touch: Remember it is peter.fraser@skysports.com if you want to drop me a line. If it is a second half like the first, I will welcome your thoughts.

46 - WE'RE BACK: Wigan get the second half under way. Malouda has made way for Joe Cole and he immediately makes an impact as he goes on a darting run forward.

45 + 1 - HALF-TIME: Underwhelming to say the least. Kirkland did produce an excellent save from Anelka's header, but if either side had taken the lead it would have been harsh. Chelsea fans boo their team off. Surely there will be changes at the interval. Malouda has not offered anything in attack.

45 - Added time: There will be one minute added time.

44 - More of the same: This is very similar to Chelsea's display against Middlesbrough a few weeks ago. There is another sense of an upset.

40 - Five minutes to go: With half-time approaching, it does not look like we are going to get a goal in the first 45 minutes as the boos ring round the Bridge as Alex passes back to Cech. Fair play to Wigan, they are set up very well. Thanks for the support Matt in Denver.

37 - The gloating begins: Perhaps a little premature, but United fans seem to be putting the champagne on ice as they start to voice their possible title success. Paige cannot wait for Brucey's Blues to help United with a win and she claims Chelsea are too confident. Not a bad call, Chelsea do seem a little laid back considering what is at stake.

35 - Off the line: Paul Scharner is a lucky boy as Skoko clears of his line after hid team-mates makes a hash of clearing a corner and heads at his own goal.

31 - Seb surprised: As Essien fouls Wigan's Emmerson Boyce, Seb voices his dismay at how the Ghana international was bundled off the ball by Kilbane earlier in the piece. I'm still not sure, but it has perhaps been the best action so far.

29 - Heskey watch: The Wigan striker, who has always been a confidence player, looks well shot of self-belief as he miss controls in attack. He is going through the longest goal drought of his professional career.

27 - Great save: Anelka dinks a lofted header towards goal which appears to have Wigan shot-stopper Chris Kirkland stranded. However, Kirkland displays a dose of the old go-go-Gadget arms to claw the ball away. Top-notch stop. Chelsea are beginning to threaten.

25 - Angelo in America: Ang has been in contact to say that Chelsea are missing Lampard. You are not far wrong, the Blues are a bit flat in midfield. It is a bit of a mystery what has happened to the England man, his absence has been put down to personal matters.

23 - Good defending: Josip Skoko heads away with Michael Ballack lurking at the far post. Chelsea appear to have realised they are in a contest.

21 - Settling: Wigan are playing nicely now and are looking for early crosses towards the physical presence of Heskey. Stamford Bridge does not like what it is seeing as the groans ring out.

20 - First test: Luis Valencia makes a pest of himself to test Cech from 20 yards to win a corner, but Chelsea again clear.

17 - Waste: The corner delivery is poor and Chelsea clear. Kilbane's excellent strength is wasted. Essien would be one to avoid in any training ground arm wrestling competition.

16 - Wigan corner: Kevin Kilbane out muscles Michael Essien to win a corner.

15 - Fashion parade: Cech has seen very little of the ball, but he is modelling a chin strap attachment to his usual head guard. I don't think he will be setting any new trends in West London head gear, but safety first.

12 - Well wide: Ryan Taylor winds up for a volley from 10 yards as Stamford Bridge holds its collective breath in fear, but the effort is closer to the corner flag than the goal. Sums things up so far, I'm afraid. You could hear a pin drop inside the stadium.

10 - Update from the touchline: Drogba has now taken to stealing substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips' hat to keep himself entertained.

8 - Embarrassing: Salomon Kalou is not only offside, but he also manages to miss control the ball and allow it to roll out of play as Chelsea attack. Things can only get better.

5 - Bad miss: Anelka heads wide from point blank range. The French striker has yet to score at Stamford Bridge. Could the money have been better spent in January?

4 - Quiet start: All a bit slow and quiet on the pitch in the early stages. That is probably why Chelsea Didier Drogba, who is not involved tonight, is bobbing away to his personal stereo in the stands.

2 - Early signs: Wigan loft a long ball in the direction of Emile Heskey, but the goal shy striker is offside. Tom S has hinted that former United star and now Wigan manager Steve Bruce will be keen to do Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson a favour tonight.

KICK-OFF: Chelsea get the game going. The Blues will be hoping to close the six-point gap to United at the top, while Wigan are still not completely safe.

Early thoughts: Aidan expects Wigan to 'squeeze it' 2-1, Abdul is backing Nicolas Anelka for a hat-trick, while Tom M has a sneaky feeling Wigan will put up a good fight. Excellent insights or mere foolishness? We will soon see.

Kick-off approaches: Chelsea have been boosted by the return of Petr Cech in goal. Will this give the Blues the edge they need to close the gap on Manchester United at the top of the table, or are Wigan capable of an upset? Let me have your thoughts on the outcome or any other matter in tonight's game at peter.fraser@bskyb.com. Frank Lampard is missing for family reasons

Wigan team: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Skoko, Palacios, Taylor, Heskey, Bent. Subs: Pollitt, Sibierski, Koumas, Brown, King.

Chelsea team: Cech, Belletti, Alex, Terry, Bridge, Ballack, Essien, Mikel, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Shevchenko, Joe Cole, Pizarro, Wright-Phillips.

Welcome to Skysports.com's live minute-by-minute commentary of the Premier League clash between Chelsea and Wigan at Stamford Bridge.