Chelsea's 21-match unbeaten run in the Premiership foundered on the granite outcrop of Arsenal's defence at Highbury yesterday when a goal from Dennis Bergkamp, as well as helping Manchester United regain the leadership, kept the champions in close touch with events at the top of the table.
After a fitful, physical first half, which brought Bergkamp's goal but little in the way of flowing football, the game improved considerably as a spectacle. Chelsea brought the full range of their attacking talents to bear on the Premiership's most obdurate defence but drew few saves from David Seaman, back in goal for Arsenal after injury.
Yet the overall quality of Chelsea's football suggested that if the championship is going to become a game of leapfrog they will retain sufficient spring to challenge for the title to the last. Their principal concern now is a lack of attacking options after losing Pierluigi Casiraghi, Gustavo Poyet and Tore Andre Flo.
Gianluca Vialli has a daunting task if he intends to continue playing and managing. Again he was off the pace, which was one of the reasons why Chelsea could not translate their mounting territorial superiority into goals.
Last August, on opening day, Vialli's team lost 2-1 at Coventry largely because they could not cope with Dion Dublin's aerial power. Yesterday they defended with massive authority, especially after Marcel Desailly had withdrawn to the back four after Michael Duberry's departure with a strained hamstring, only to find Martin Keown in equally outstanding form at the opposite end.
Arsenal took immense satisfaction from this victory, their fifth in six league matches. Still without Patrick Vieira, who was completing a three-match ban, they again looked to Emmanuel Petit for inspiration between the penalty areas and again they were not disappointed.
With a fellow Frenchman, Remi Garde, having one of his best games at Highbury so far, Arsenal broke up the flow of Chelsea's movements even when Vialli's side pushed forward in increasing numbers. Desailly's presence at the back allowed Frank Leboeuf, another of the afternoon's successes, to move forward to augment Chelsea's movements, linking with Dennis Wise and Roberto Di Matteo, with Dan Petrescu a growing menace on the right.
More chances should have been created, given the amount of possession Chelsea enjoyed after halftime and the long periods spent around Arsenal's penalty area. But too much fell down around Vialli.
Arsenal achieved all they needed in the first 45 minutes. Bergkamp was in one of his fractious moods and after being cautioned in the third minute he reached five bookings. The Dutchman will miss the Premiership game at Manchester United unless Arsenal's FA Cup tie against Sheffield United is switched to a Sunday.
Yet Bergkamp was always going to be Arsenal's best chance of winning and so it proved a minute past the half-hour. Petit's long ball through the middle found Marc Overmars challenging Petrescu, who was caught off balance and inadvertently headed the ball into Bergkamp's path. Bergkamp calmly found the far corner.
For all Chelsea's attacking efforts later they did not recreate the moments which might have brought them goals immediately before the interval. Wise's through-pass caught Arsenal's defence square and with an extra yard of pace Vialli would surely have made more of the opportunity before Seaman cleared. Then Keown failed to intercept a low centre from Bjarne Goldbaek, the substitute for Duberry, but no Chelsea player could meet it.
Arsenal, however, are still mostly about Bergkamp, Petit and a strong defence, which is why Chelsea have now lost twice in the Premiership.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Winterburn, Parlour, Garde, Petit, Overmars (Diawara 75), Anelka (Vivas 67), Bergkamp (Upson 90). Subs Not Used: Ljungberg, Manninger. Booked: Bergkamp, Keown. Goals: Bergkamp 32.
Chelsea: De Goey, Leboeuf, Desailly, Duberry (Goldbaek 38), Petrescu, Di Matteo, Wise, Le Saux, Babayaro, Vialli, Zola (Forssell 74). Subs Not Used: Terry, Hitchcock, Morris. Booked: Leboeuf, Petrescu, Goldbaek. Att: 38,121.
Referee: G Poll (Tring).
