Manchester City rescued a point in injury time against Sunderland thanks to substitute Adam Johnson's superb finish.

Kenwyne Jones headed the Black Cats ahead early on and although the Blues rallied after the break, substitute Roque Santa Cruz and Shaun Wright-Phillips both missed good chances.

However, Johnson made the breakthrough in added time with a curler into the top corner.

City, who beat Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge last time out, stay fifth in the table, two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand. Wayne Bridge limped out of the game early on.

Sunderland got their noses in front within nine minutes when Jones roseto power in a header from Steed Malbranque’s pinpoint cross, and rarely looked like surrendering their lead as City drastically under-achieved.

Jones was a constant threat, as was the pace of leading scorer Darren Bent, while wide men Malbranque and Fraizer Campbell made life distinctly uncomfortable for Micah Richards and Bridge, who was replaced by striker Santa Cruz with 33 minutes gone.

The Paraguayan’s introduction added his goalscoring prowess to a side which already included Carlos Tevez, Craig Bellamy and Wright-Phillips.

However, none of the four saw enough of the ball to do any real damage with Sunderland defending tigerishly, and it was Barry who came closest to restoring parity with a 31st-minute snapshot which whistled inches wide of the post.

Mancini effect

Sunderland were forced into a reshuffle at the break when Jones failed to re-appear and was replaced by midfielder Jordan Henderson, who took over from Campbell wide on the right as he joined Bent in attack.

But whatever Blues boss Roberto Mancini had said to his players at the break seemed to have done the trick as they returned in determined fashion.

Three times inside the opening seven minutes of the half, Gordon had to make vital saves, keeping out efforts from Santa Cruz, Wright-Phillips and Bellamy in quick succession after being left exposed by his defenders.

Barry and David Meyler earned themselves a ticking-off from referee Chris Foy after an angry confrontation off the ball, and the temperature was rising all the time.

Mancini replaced his other starting full-back, Richards, with vastly-experienced midfielder Patrick Vieira with 64 minutes gone, but it was Bellamy and Tevez who almost dragged his side back into it with 20 minutes remaining.

The Welshman drilled in a low cross from the right which the Argentinian prodded towards goal, only for Gordon to block with his legs from point-blank range.

Bellamy might have equalised himself twice inside the last 10 minutes, but lost out in one-on-one battles with the Black Caps goalkeeper on both occasions.

But there was nothing the Scot could do to keep out Johnson at the death, the former Middlesbrough winger curling a long-range effort high over his out-stretched arm into the top corner to snatch two points from Sunderland’s grasp.

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