Manchester City staged a dramatic late fightback to keep their title bid alive, coming from 3-1 down to draw with Sunderland at Etihad Stadium.<br />Sebastian Larsson put Sunderland ahead before Mario Balotelli equalised from the spot after Edin Dzeko was fouled.<br />The visitors restored their lead via Nicklas Bendtner's header and extended it when Larsson met Bendtner's cross.<br /><br />But Balotelli fired in and Aleksandar Kolarov drilled home to level, although City lost their 100% home record.<br />Despite their spirited comeback, City know that if Manchester United win at Blackburn on Monday the 19-time champions will move five points clear at the Premier League summit.<br />It was a thrilling end to a match in which Sunderland produced a brilliant away performance to stand on the verge of a huge upset.<br />But from the moment excellent centre-back Matt Kilgallon was replaced by Sotirios Krygiakos on 80 minutes, the visitors appeared vulnerable.<br />City were especially grateful for the intervention of Balotelli, a player boss Roberto Mancini said on Friday he does not trust.<br />The Italian striker was involved in an angry exchange with Kolarov on 65 minutes, yet it seemed to galvanise him to engineer City's revival.<br /><br />At 3-1 down on 85 minutes, Balotelli cut in from the left to rifle a superb finish across Simon Mignolet - and 69 seconds later it was 3-3.<br />Until then, neither Balotelli nor his team-mates displayed the sort of pace, power or intelligence that has characterised much of their season.<br />Sunderland threatened twice in the first five minutes through James McClean and Sessegnon, while Craig Gardner hit the side-netting.<br />Having then squandered two chances of their own - Mignolet denying Dzeko and Balotelli heading over - City were punished.<br />Sessignon surged in from the left and fed an unmarked Larsson, who side-footed into Joe Hart's bottom corner from just outside the box.<br />City finally generated some momentum as Kolarov and Yaya Toure went close before Gardner brought down Dzeko.<br />Sunderland
