CITY earned a point at Fulham after Benjani's early goal was equalised by Jimmy Bullard's effort.
The Blues started well and went ahead after six minutes when Benjani headed in from a superb Pablo Zabaleta cross.
The home side struck back after 27 minutes when Bullard lashed a shot past Joe Hart.
This was a contest between two contrasting sides, with only Chelsea having scored more than City, and only one team - West Brom - having scored fewer than Fulham.
City were without top scorer Robinho, however, and also missed Micah Richards in defence, who failed to shake off an ankle injury.
For all Benjani’s power and Shaun Wright-Phillips’ trickery, City were not always convincing going forward in the absence of Robinho, showing little to suggest that strong competition awaits some of the grandiose names linked with January moves to the club.
It looked a different story early on, though, when Benjani outjumped and outmuscled Aaron Hughes and Brede Hangeland to head home Zabaleta’s cross in the sixth minute.
Dragged
Wright-Phillips had already run at the Fulham defence and dragged a shot wide before Benjani’s goal, and in the eighth minute Stephen Ireland fired wide following a poor punch from Schwarzer.
But Fulham began to find their feet and finally started to enjoy a spell of pressure midway through the first half, which told when Bullard smashed home the equaliser in the 27th minute following a slick build-up.
Dempsey played the ball up to Zamora on the right who held off the attentions of Dunne before skilfully playing in Bullard.
The former Wigan man took a touch to steady himself before rifling a shot across goal and in at the far post.
Minutes later Darius Vassell stung the palms of Schwarzer with a sharp turn and shot, and Dempsey had two good chances to put Fulham ahead shortly before the break.
The hosts then had a decent penalty shout when Richard Dunne appeared to have moved his arm towards the ball, but referee Rob Styles was unmoved.
Fulham started strongly in the second half, with Zamora, who has scored just one league goal all season, wasting two good chances.
City responded through the lively Zabaleta, who steamed into the box from the right flank and shot low across goal in the 54th minute, which Schwarzer did well to tip wide.
Bullard unleashed a piledriver from a 30-yard free-kick in the 66th minute which was tipped over the bar by Joe Hart, and from the resulting corner Zamora just failed to connect with a loose ball almost on the goal line.
Schwarzer was called into action late on, denying Zabaleta from close range after the right-back yet again powered into the box unchallenged.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
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Peter Barnes (06/12/2008 at 14:45)
Await the managers excuses for another toothless display. A total insult to the fans who pay hard earned cash to watch that crap !
Bugsy Blue (06/12/2008 at 14:45)
Kompany had his worst game for us today, poor passing and he cost us their goal.
Was Hughes happy with a point? Cos the team looked like they were! So frustrated and annoyed!
Only positive was Zabeleta, he had a great game!
dr.spock, skara (06/12/2008 at 14:45)
ad of stockie (06/12/2008 at 14:45)
Mabalsa Ricci, Manchester (06/12/2008 at 14:47)
mr.bee, usa (06/12/2008 at 14:47)
utter garbage, if we lacked ideas against PSG why not put it right. 3 pts off relegation is
not good enough.Manager is clueless. Zabaleta should play on the wing. 2 wins in 11, heads should roll. same next week then.
David Humphreys, San Francisco (06/12/2008 at 14:48)
StretfordBLUE, America (06/12/2008 at 14:48)
The Goat's Big Toe (06/12/2008 at 14:48)
However, our full strength team, featuring the likes of Robinho, Petrov and Bojinov would give anyone a game.
We can't blame Hughes for the injuries - I just hope we can get some quality in January otherwise I'll consider not being relegated a good result this season.
Twosips, On a merry go round (06/12/2008 at 14:49)
Zab was our best player. Top class full back performance.
Easy to see the weak links in our team. Namely a box to box midfielder with bags of energy, cos, and god bless him, Didi's legs aren't really up to it these days. Vass and Benj (good goal admittedly) really don't offer that much either - but we know that.
Still...level headedness people. Decent point. Bare in mind that they have the best home record in the league, Liverpool aside, and we have one of the poorest away records.
Peter Barnes (06/12/2008 at 14:50)
Blueski, My House (06/12/2008 at 14:54)
Deano58 (06/12/2008 at 14:56)
Exiled Blue, Abu Dhabi, UAE (06/12/2008 at 14:56)
SWP and Ireland were ineffective today, whilst Zabaleta continually found space on the right, which should have been occupied by SWP.
The game was there for the taking, but Hughes' lopsided formation coupled with a general lack of confidence in the team means that a big opportunity has been missed.
Maybe many of the players are looking to the transfer window, but the pressure continues to mount on Hughes.
I am not a number (06/12/2008 at 14:57)
ulf blomberg, varberg, sweden. (06/12/2008 at 14:57)
straight outta lokash, stockport (06/12/2008 at 14:58)
hughes out hughes out
bluemoon risin' (06/12/2008 at 14:59)
Taxi is here for you cockernee rags,
Theres your coach going back, down near slough,
Get out your prawns i bet they're 'john west',
I hope you don't mind its pies for myself.
Thought you were smart when you took us on,
But you didn't take the p*** in blues artillery room,
All that mocking from rag wums i'd of guessed,
What chance chelsea skins, with just a five year olds jest?
Hello Farrer, Donalds come to play with his toy 'Tie' rifles.
Hello ooo ah, not a nice day for Dawkins revival,
Thought you were clever when you cheaply mused,
Put downs are gettin' common aren't they Blue-suede- hughes?,
I'm fed up and confused, of reading anti city,
Are you a rag wum, or a weird Nolan leeds thing?
Hello old wayne, you can choke mick with his hose, pair of bitter sad rivals,
Hello farrer, an extreme ape by far, with 'cold noodle' trifle.
What a pessimist you turned out to be,
Load up your guns, then blufield snipes at us with Edski-ee,
Left me standing - with Adders, 42 and soulboy.
Teds come out of it, 'Knott'urally the worst,
Slags off captain dunny, says he's not fit for the shirt,
But Teds more than a match for manures tame wit,
Though some of the sads will snipe again next week.
Hello farrar, "that 'Tie' bloke"s now far with your cold 'Tie' noodles.
Hello hurrah Id prefer the plague, To the heathen rivals.
Hello hurrah the rags are not far with their sniping rifles,
Hello aghh, peter jones you're bizzare, humble pie or trifle?
sniping rifles.
Talking trifle.
Heathen rivals...
crosspennineblue (06/12/2008 at 15:00)
January 1st, where the hell are you? You're needed!
Esso Blue., Manchester (06/12/2008 at 15:10)
straight outta lokash, stockport (06/12/2008 at 15:11)
out of that starting 11 only hart zab kompany swp and ireland are worth keeping the rest free transfer them what excuse will welsh rag give that pile of tripe 3 games in a row and we aint looked like winning one of them. read chris baileys ratings he is a plonker some of them ratings are a joke just like city we aint gonna be in europe next year so our big sigings will be bridge (crap) santa cruz (average) crap players for a crap manager
TheGrimReaper, Sale (06/12/2008 at 15:12)
herrock (06/12/2008 at 15:18)
straight outta lokash, stockport (06/12/2008 at 15:19)
Tommy C, Oz (06/12/2008 at 15:22)
Zabaleta was fantastic, Hart did well and I don`t think Dunne is half as bad as some on here would have you believe, yes he was poor earlier in the season but he has played well in the last few games. Some of the morons posting on here need to get a grip or let go of it, whichever applies.