Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge and finished as the runners-up to Manchester United, who won 2-0 at Wigan, in the Premiership, on Sunday.

Avram Grant’s side needed to win their game and United to drop points at the JJB Stadium, to win the title as both teams went into the final game of the season level on points but with the Red Devils having a better goal-difference.

Substitute Andriy Shevchenko scored for the Blues in the second half, before Matthew Taylor equalised for the visitors deep into the stoppage time.

After a tentative start, the Blues created momentum with chances in quick succession, but Didier Drogba failed to put them to good use.

The Ivory Coast ace first failed to get a strong header away off a pinpoint cross and soon after, with the goal gaping, sliced the shot over at the far post when he was found by Michael Ballack from the left side.

Drogba’s free kick from the top of the 18-yard box was narrowly wide of the left post to the surprise of Bolton keeper Ali Al Habsi, who had given hope of making a save.

The Trotters also gave a good exhibition of resolute defending as Andrew O'Brien, Gretar Rafn Steinsson and Gavin McCann came up with important interventions, and in a rare attacking move Taylor’s long-ranger was way off target.

The Blues came close to getting a goal early in the second half, but Florent Malouda’s long-ranger was tipped onto the bar by Al Habsi, who soon after palmed a shot from Drogba over the bar.

Shevchenko opened the scoring in the 62nd minute as he latched onto the chance from close range, nudging the ball home after a deflected shot came to him as the Blues crowded the Trotters area. At the other end, El-Hadji Diouf’s close-range shot was blocked by Cech.

The west-Londoners had some anxious moments in the latter stages and it needed an alert Ashley Cole to clear Stelios Giannakopoulos rebound off the goalline. The Czech keeper was then lucky that Davies failed to get a good connection onto his header from close, thereby making a comfortable save after a free-kick from Taylor.

Standing captain Frank Lampard could have doubled the Blues score, but could not keep his header down when he was set up with a cross by Drogba with seven minutes left.

The home side were stunned in the stoppage time as Taylor found the target when the Blues defence failed to clear the ball. Shevchenko then found the side-netting.

The home side suffered an injury blow early in the game as skipper John Terry had to be stretchered off after taking a knee of Petr Cech in his face with the defender’s arm also taking an impact, when the duo went into the challenge with Trotters forward Kevin Davies. Right-back Juliano Belletti came on as the replacement.

Teams

Chelsea: Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, John Terry (Juliano Belletti 14), Alex, Joe Cole (John Mikel Obi 78), Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Florent Malouda, Claude Makelele (Andriy Shevchenko 46), Michael Ballack, Didier Drogba.

Substitutes not used: Carlo Cudicini, Salomon Kalou.

Bolton: Ali Al Habsi, Jlloyd Samuel, Andrew O'Brien, Gretar Rafn Steinsson, Gary Cahill, Joey O'Brien, Matthew Taylor, Kevin Nolan, Gavin McCann, Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf (Stelios Giannakopoulos 69).

Substitutes not used: Ian Walker, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Abdoulaye Meite, Tamir Cohen.