Leicester City's Premiership fate was all but sealed in a controversial stalemate with fellow relegation strugglers Manchester City.
But the game will be best remembered for a hotly contested penalty award after which the game was held up for almost five minutes as anarchy reigned amid disgraceful scenes in which players from both sides were involved in violent confrontations.
Leicester had made two changes to the side beaten at Blackburn last weekend.
Midfielder Peter Canero made his first start for the club, replacing Marcus Bent while Steffen Freund came in for Billy McKinlay.
Kevin Keegan sprang a major surprise when he showed his forgiving nature to include Joey Barton who was expected to be left out after he left Eastlands in disgust before kick-off last weekend when he was told he was not even on the bench.
Otherwise City made three changes to the side which was beaten at home by Southampton with Paulo Wanchope, Trevor Sinclair and Barton replacing Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Antoine Sibierski.
With so much at stake for both sides there was never going to be any quarter given and Freund needed lengthy treatment inside the first minute after a crunching tackle by Barton left his writhing in agony.
Barton then fouled Canero to concede a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, which Leicester failed to exploit with City clearing comfortably.
Knowing that defeat would all but signal relegation it was Leicester, galvanised by hard-working midfielders Muzzy Izzet and Freund, who took an early grip on the game.
Defender Frank Sinclair found time to join the attack to test David James from 25 yards as the home side continued to press.
Leicester's domination was almost rewarded on 21 minutes when a long throw by Freund was met by Les Ferdinand, whose firm header appeared destined for the top corner until the leaping James intervened with a stunning save to tip the ball over the bar.
A minute later the visitors had a wonderful opportunity to raise the siege when Ian Walker's poor clearance fell straight to Nicolas Anelka midway in the Leicester half.
The Frenchman graced unhindered towards goal and appeared certain to score, but he elected to attempt to round Walker who redeemed himself by diving to snatch the ball off the striker's feet.
Keegan's side began to edge forward and Paul Bosvelt was on target on the half-hour mark with a 25-yard shot which was driven straight at Walker.
Barton then headed over while under pressure from Ben Thatcher as City appeared to have weathered Leicester's storm intact.
On 39 minutes Anelka tripped Thatcher just outside the box. Izzet touched the free-kick to Ferdinand whose low drive rippled the sidenetting.
And on the stroke of half-time former Manchester City favourite Paul Dickov squandered a great chance to give his side the lead, but after getting in front of the visitors defence he sent his near-post header from a Freund cross high and wide.
It was to prove not the costliest of misses in a game in which Leicester were struggling to create clear-cut chances despite having so much possession.
And worse was to follow when the visitors took a shock lead in first-half time added on.
Izzet fouled Wanchope to concede a free-kick 30 yards from goal.
There seemed little danger when Michael Tarnat shaped up to take the kick, but the ball appeared to take a deflection off Sinclair and deceived Walker on its way into then net.
Leicester made a substitution at half-time with Bent coming on for Ferdinand who had been labouring with a knee injury.
The home side poured forward after the break but again failed to exploit their domination.
Instead, they were nearly caught out on 52 minutes when City found themselves in a three-on-one situation, but Anelka's ball to Shaun Wright-Phillips was poor with Walker able to gather.
Izzet then picked out Bent with a wonderfully flighted pass into the box but the Leicester's striker firs touch was poor and the danger was repelled.
On 64 minutes Micky Adams gambled and sacrificed defender Sinclair for Steve Guppy in a bid to give his side more width.
The switch appeared to unnerve the visitors and within a minute Leicester had equalised.
Sylvain Distin and Bent challenged for a long clearance from Walker and the ball fell to James Scowcroft, who got above Sibierski to head over a stranded James.
Anelka - with four goals in as many matches - wasted a fine chance to restore his side's lead when Sun Jihai pulled the ball back from the by-line, but the City striker dragged his 12-yard shot wide of the far post.
Nikos Dabizas' cross from the right then fell to Scowcroft who failed to get enough venom on the shot to trouble to James.
The game then exploded on 82 minutes when referee Andy D'Urso awarded Leicester a controversial penalty.
Izzet appeared to handle the ball before bursting into the penalty area where he was bundled over by Tarnat.
After the ensuing melee, which halted play for almost five minutes, the referee brandished yellow cards to Leicester's Bent and City's Wanchope, Tarnat and Barton.
And there could be repercussions for Keegan who despite his bad back had sprinted 40 yards to confront the referee's assistant.
Freund who had earlier been substituted could also face disciplinary action after he had left the bench to confront City's protesting players before being dragged away by the stewards.
After calm had eventually been restored Keegan's side felt justice had been done when James dived to his right to save Dickov's poorly taken spot-kick.
In time added on City should have stolen the points when Sun Jihai crossed for Trevor Sinclair to shoot straight at Walker from ten yards.
Afterwards Adams said: "I can't fault my players, but it was another draw and we've drawn too many games, particularly at the Walkers Stadium and maybe that will cost us our Premiership status.
"But we've three games left and I just want the players to give it all they've got starting at Charlton next week." Keegan said of his involvement in the penalty controversy: "I was just trying to stop Freund from interfering with my players.
"Perhaps their reaction was forgivable considering so much was at stake for both teams." Man of the Match: Muzzy Izzet - he may be off at the end of the season, but he was Leicester's inspiration and never gave up.
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