Ten-man Chelsea fought to the end but their flickering title
challenge was finally snuffed out at the Emirates Stadium to spark
a Premiership party at Manchester United.
Despite the first-half dismissal of Khalid Boulahrouz, Jose
Mourinho's side not only managed to drag themselves level from
Gilberto's penalty opener but also have what would have been a late
Joe Cole winner disallowed.
On and on the visitors pushed looking for salvation. In the end,
there was none, effectively allowing Arsene Wenger to gift-wrap
domestic supremacy and send it north to old rival Sir Alex
Ferguson.
Mourinho can be justifiably proud of his side for their fighting
spirit but in excusing Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Ricardo
Carvalho from duty because of the injuries they have carried
through an exhausting schedule, the Chelsea coach probably knew
what was coming.
All that remains now for Mourinho is the delicate decision over
whether to reciprocate the guard of honour Ferguson offered his
champion side two years ago when United head to Stamford Bridge on
Wednesday, and the small matter of an FA Cup Final meeting with the
Red Devils on May 19.
Mourinho could cite an injury problem for all his absent stars but
for all the world, it appeared as though the Chelsea boss had given
up the title ghost.
With Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko both missing, Shaun
Wright-Phillips became probably the smallest attacking line-leader
in Premiership history.
Wright-Phillips represented a clear threat to the Arsenal defence,
as did Joe Cole, but with Frank Lampard delivering a succession of
set-pieces straight to Jens Lehmann, the home goal was relatively
quiet.
Cole did provide the one genuine moment of excitement, when he
reacted quickly amid some defensive hesitancy from Arsenal to cut
the ball across the six-yard area. Sadly for Chelsea, there was
no-one in a blue shirt with the necessary thirst for goals to get
on the end of it.
It would be hard to imagine Wenger sending out his team with the
specific task of doing United a favour but clearly that was the
by-product of their own desire to emphasise their effectiveness
against their London rivals.
Indeed, having completed a league double over Ferguson's men this
term, Wenger might wonder why his team have ended up so far off the
pace.
The answer lies in a lack of consistency in front of goal which was
evident again as Emmanuel Adebayor wasted two gilt-edged
opportunities to put the Gunners in front.
Adebayor's first chance came after a delightful exchange of passes
between Abou Diaby and Cesc Fabregas. The ball eventually arrived
at the feet of Denilson, whose flick into the path of Adebayor was
inspired. The finish was anything but as the Togo forward fired
straight at Petr Cech.
At least that effort was on target. The second, when Emmanuel Eboue
chipped a long ball deep into Chelsea territory, flew harmlessly
wide of the visitors goal.
The method of creating the opportunity should have served as a
warning to Chelsea, and in particular Boulahrouz.
But, when Lehmann launched a punt forward that John Terry failed to
cut out, the Dutchman was caught out by Julio Baptista's
pace.
In his desperation to challenge for possession, Boulahrouz
succeeded only in bundling the Arsenal man over. The penalty award
was automatic, as was the red card and Gilberto stepped up to
calmly send Cech the wrong way.
Furious Chelsea assistant-boss Steve Clarke berated referee Alan
Wiley all the way to the tunnel after the half-time whistle had
gone.
Maybe it was the sheer frustration of feeling the title slip from
their grasp that provoked Clarke. There was little else to trigger
such a feeling of injustice as TV replays proved Wiley had got the
decision exactly right.
While not particularly spiteful, there was an undercurrent of
physicality running through the contest which meant it was no great
surprise when Denilson was carried off 10 minutes into the
second-half, the legacy of a thunderous challenge from Paulo
Ferreira.
Against his former club, William Gallas should have doubled
Arsenal's lead instead of heading Fabregas' corner over from five
yards.
Had Gallas found the net, it would have saved Ferguson and his
players 20 nervous minutes after action-man Michael Essien had
levelled with a glancing header as he met Wright-Phillips' low
cross at the near post.
Twice Lehmann required the end of his fingers to deny Chelsea after
Cole's superb finish had correctly been ruled out for
offside.
But no matter how many bodies the visitors pushed forward, a winner
proved elusive allowing Ferguson to be thankful to Arsenal - for
possibly the first time in his life.
