Chelsea may have lost their aura of invincibility, but their resilience remains. The champions shrugged off a sloppy performance to leave Everton shell-shocked, late goals of stunning brilliance from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba completing their comeback in a remarkable match in which they had twice trailed. After closing the gap to Manchester United to two points, the Barclays Premiership title will have to be ripped from their grasp.

With Michael Ballack’s superb 25-yard free kick contributing to Chelsea’s first goal, their players demonstrated that they have ability as well as attitude, although they are leaning heavily on the latter. José Mourinho admitted as much in characteristically colourful terms, summoning the spirit of this most musical of cities. “In great moments teams play great football, score great goals and everything rolls on,” the manager said. “You go to the pitch and everything is shining and flowers and blue sky.

“In other moments things do not go so well. The important thing in these moments is character. If you can play great music then you play great music; if you cannot play great music then at least you play something. That’s what we’re doing.”

Chelsea’s music is more X-Factor than XFM, but this only makes their achievement in keeping pace with United more impressive. If Mourinho’s assessment was an attempt to heap more pressure on the leaders, it also rang true. “We’re now in our difficult moment but are not losing many points,” he said. “We’re having problems, but last season when United were having problems and Chelsea were perfect the gap was 12 or 14 points. We will be there.”

It is just as well that the Premiership is a marathon, not a sprint because Chelsea have taken to leaving the traps with the speed of a tortoise. Everton deserve credit for setting the tempo yesterday, with Andrew Johnson and Victor Anichebe giving Khalid Boulahrouz a torrid time and making Mourinho pine for John Terry, who was absent with a back problem.

For an 18-year-old making his first Premiership start, Anichebe was most impressive and helped his team to take a deserved lead, winning a penalty converted by Mikel Arteta after being wrestled to the ground by Boulahrouz. Mourinho had no problem with that decision, but was less impressed when Johnson went down under pressure from the Dutchman earlier. “I was unhappy with Andy Johnson as the player dived,” he said. “I think he was embarrassed with himself.” David Moyes saw the matter differently and accused Mourinho of hypocrisy. “I don’t think it was a penalty, but it certainly wasn’t a dive either,” the Everton manager said. “Mourinho certainly inflamed the situation. He’s got a big, aggressive 15-stone striker who’s partial to it himself.”

With their passing particularly poor, Mourinho changed his team around at half-time, summoning Salomon Kalou as an extra striker from the bench. Ballack emerged from the lethargy that has surrounded him this season to force the equaliser, his shot hitting a post and Tim Howard’s back before crossing the line, and they continued to dominate, Kalou hitting a post and Drogba firing over the bar.

Joseph Yobo’s 64th-minute header presented a further test of their resolve, which they looked like failing until they conjured two goals from nowhere. With few options down the left flank, Lampard’s shot flew into the net from 25 yards, and Drogba’s finish was even better, striking the ball cleanly on the half-volley from from farther out for his sixteenth goal of the season. With United stumbling later, the away fans’ chant of “That’s why we’re champions” has never sounded so ominous.