Stoke City 1 - 1 Manchester City: Gareth Barry equaliser takes City back into fourth

GARETH Barry struck a late equaliser as Manchester City claimed a controversial draw at ten-man Stoke to move fourth in the Barclays Premier League last night.

Barry cancelled out a fine Glenn Whelan strike five minutes from time at the Britannia Stadium but Stoke thought they had won it in injury time when Ryan Shawcross headed in a Rory Delap throw-in.

But Roberto Mancini's men, who should have taken control after Abdoulaye Faye was sent off on 52 minutes, were reprieved as referee Alan Wiley spotted a foul on Shay Given. It was a fortunate decision for City, who had struggled to deal with Stoke's unashamedly direct and physical approach throughout the second of three meetings between the sides in quick succession.

The same two teams, having drawn in the FA Cup fifth round last weekend, face each other again in the replay next week. Before then City face Liverpool, one of their chief rivals for that fourth place.

Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, A Faye, Higginbotham (Collins 46), Delap, Whitehead, Whelan, Lawrence (Diao 60), Sidibe, Fuller (Beattie 80). Subs not used: Begovic, Kitson, Pugh, Sanli. Sent Off: A Faye (53)

Man City: Given, Richards (Zabaleta 81), Toure, Lescott, Garrido (Wright-Phillips 60), Adam Johnson (Petrov 86), Vieira, De Jong, Barry, Santa Cruz, Adebayor. Subs not used: Taylor, Bridge, Onuoha, Ireland.

Att: 26,778. Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).