Blackburn Rovers 2 Manchester City 1:Substitute Daniel Sturridge emerged from the bench to turn the tide for Mark Hughes on the manager's return to Ewood Park. All looked lost for City when Jason Roberts added to Benni McCarthy's first half goal with five minutes remaining but Sturridge came into the fray and scored one before setting up Robinho with seconds remaining to earn a point.

City's attacking prowess has never been in doubt but their character has been repeatedly called into question. This late show may silence some critics and turn the fortunes of the world's richest club around ahead of the new year.

It was heartbreaking for Rovers and new manager Sam Allardyce after he watched his side frustrate City at every turn and take their chances with two perfectly timed goals.

McCarthy opened the scoring with a low drive from the jsut inside the box on the stroke of halftime and Roberts headed home brilliantly with five minutes to go to all but wrap up the points that would have sent Rovers into 18th.

As it stands, they are 19th, level on points with bottom side West Bromwich Albion.

City, who were in the bottom three last week, move into 13th with a far superior goal difference to anyone outside the top seven.

Robinho has been a major success since his €35million move to the Blues this term but his season has been hit by inconsistency at times. In an early foray it seemed all he had to do was get his head to Felipe Caicedo's inswinging cross when entirely unmarked six yards out, but the Brazilian glanced his effort wide.

It was the best chance City created during the entire opening period, even if Kompany, Stephen Ireland and Elano all had pot-shots from long-range with little success.

Rovers existed on scraps, with Brett Emerton's deep crosses looking like their best route to goal. It bore fruit in stoppage-time as City's sloppiness in possession offered the Australian the chance to drive the ball into the visitors' box.

Roberts dug it out and McCarthy did the rest, presenting Hughes with a familiar sinking feeling as he delivered his interval team-talk.

There was no immediate response from the visitors as Emerton and Andre Ooijer tested Joe Hart but Shaun Wright-Phillips then went close to levelling when his back header to Elano's deep cross bounced to safety off a post.

As the first hour proved, creating chances is no problem at all to City, converting them is usually pretty straightforward as well.

It is the lack of defensive nous that is currently preventing them punching anything like their weight at present and for all the talk of Roque Santa Cruz and Craig Bellamy, it is the rearguard reinforcements Hughes makes that will be crucial to City's improvement and his own job prospects.

The visitors' commitment to attack and increasing desperation for a goal forced Rovers backwards. Wright-Phillips fired wide and Robinho curled a shot into Robinson's chest from 20 yards.

Hughes then turned to Darius Vassell and Sturridge to salvage the game 20 minutes from time was a damning assessment of €20million former record signing Jo's ability to turn a game.

Blackburn dug themselves in and prepared to counter anything City could hit them with.

Wright-Phillips threatened and Micah Richards shot narrowly wide before Roberts guided a header past Hart at the back post to seemingly seal the win for Rovers.

Sturridge, however, swept home a smart finish in response before showing some maturity and poise on the ball has he patiently picked out Robinho at the back post for the Brazilian to control and slot the equaliser.