24/03/2004  Chelsea 1 Arsenal 1
 
There may only be a few things in life that you can truly count on but as Claudio Ranieri found to his cost at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal not losing to Chelsea is right up there with death and taxes.

Chelsea's fans may have left Roman Abramovich in no doubt of their support for their under-pressure boss as chants of "there's only one Ranieri" chorused around this Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie.

The Italian's team also gave their all on his behalf, seizing the lead after 52 minutes as Eidur Gudjohnsen capitalised on a blunder by Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. However, Chelsea had taken the lead against the Gunners in each of their two previous meetings this season and had lost 2-1 on each occasion.

This time around, their advantage lasted just six minutes before Robert Pires headed the equaliser and their misery was compounded when Marcel Desailly was sent off in the closing stages.

Indeed, Chelsea could only be relieved that Arsenal failed to secure a fourth win over them during the same campaign.

Then again, with their run of games without defeat against their west London rivals now extended to 17 matches and with a vital away goal, it was Arsenal who emerged from the first leg with the edge.

Ranieri had repeatedly talked before the game in terms of not conceding at home, while Arsene Wenger had urged his side to be "audacious enough" to win away.

It was no surprise therefore to see Arsenal making all of the early running, with Dennis Bergkamp's shot saved low down by Marco Ambrosio, while the Dutchman and Pires were both marginally offside.

Sol Campbell also headed a free-kick just inches wide at the far post as Chelsea looked more like the away team in a game given life by the relaxed attitude of the Spanish officials.

Chelsea's defence nevertheless held firm without conceding, just as it had done for their previous 501 minutes' action in this competition.

With that solid base behind them, the Blues midfield, led by Frank Lampard, slowly started to impose themselves even if the chances still failed to materialise.

Bergkamp, meanwhile, did manage a snap-shot which was held at the second attempt by Ambrosio but otherwise it became rather a cagey affair amid a highly-congested midfield.

A brief spat between Pires and Lampard just before the break raised the temperature of a fixture in which there had been eight dismissals in the past 11 games even before Desailly's later red card.

And then, seven minutes after the break, there was finally life as Chelsea went ahead.

Lampard, who had just had a shot deflected narrowly wide, was the catalyst as he chipped an inviting through-ball for Gudjohnsen to rush on to, having muscled his way ahead of Campbell.

Lehmann rushed out of his area to intercept but Gudjohnsen managed to block the clearance before pouncing on the loose ball and clipping his shot inside the far post from the tightest of angles.

Game on, and not before time.

Chelsea immediately flooded forward, with Campbell producing a superb last-ditch interception, while Lehmann saved Lampard's drive after a neat interchange with Adrian Mutu.

However, Arsenal are made of stern stuff these days and their capability for recovery shone through once again.

Ashley Cole was given far too much room to attack down the left flank before delivering a pinpoint centre which was headed home by Pires - of all people - as he rose above John Terry.

That put Arsenal right back into contention. Indeed, with the away goal, they were better off than they had been 10 minutes earlier.

Chelsea's response was to introduce Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo for Mutu and Scott Parker, while Arsenal's move was far more defensive, with Gilberto Silva and Jose Reyes replacing Bergkamp and Ljungberg.

Chelsea were nevertheless soon forced to temper their approach when Desailly was sent off with eight minutes left.

The Frenchman needlessly earned his first caution by handling the ball just as Lehmann was trying to throw it clear and, just three minutes later, his second came as he brought down Vieira with a late tackle.

With Mario Melchiot replacing Gudjohnsen, that effectively removed any hope of a late Chelsea winner.

It is by no means all over yet but it is still advantage Arsenal - and not for the first time this season.