12/12/2004  Arsenal 2 Chelsea 2
 
Chelsea came through the biggest test yet of their Barclays Premiership title credentials as Thierry Henry's costly late miss ensured Jose Mourinho's side managed a 2-2 draw at Highbury to maintain a five-point advantage over Arsenal.

Twice Arsenal looked to have broken the table-toppers' resistance as Henry impressively scored with a volley and then caught Petr Cech napping with an audacious, quickly-taken free-kick.

But twice Mourinho's side responded as equalisers from John Terry and then Eidur Gudjohnsen exposed the Gunners' fragile defending at set-pieces.

With 12 minutes left, the stage was nevertheless set for Henry to complete his hat-trick and move Arsenal back above Everton into second place.

But the Frenchman, who had done so much to answer those critics who question his impact in key games, uncharacteristically blazed his shot over the bar from just eight yards out.

Arsenal had at least not lost in the enforced absence of Patrick Vieira - but surely Chelsea will have emerged with far more of a boost after twice coming from behind away from home.

Mourinho's side were behind after just 73 seconds, with Henry lashing a volley past the helpless figure of Cech.

Cesc Fabregas, who formed an inexperienced but determined central midfield partnership with Mathieu Flamini, lobbed the ball forward as much in hope as expectation.

Henry lost out in his initial tussle. But Jose Reyes rose with conviction to head the ball back to the Frenchman, who swivelled expertly and gave Cech no chance with his stunning left-foot finish.

Chelsea were rattled, and Frank Lampard was fortunate not to be booked as he clattered into Lauren. Graham Poll, who was refereeing with assurance, showed his desire to let the game flow.

But the Blues showed the determination to claw their way back into contention.

Although Manuel Almunia - in whom Wenger doggedly kept faith - produced a fine reaction save to tip Lampard's drive over the bar, the visitors equalised from the resulting corner.

It was from a familiar route, at least in terms of Arsenal's goals-against column, that Terry powered home a header from Arjen Robben's corner - with Sol Campbell and Henry getting in each other's way.

Yet just as Chelsea looked to be in command, with Gudjohnsen and Tiago both going close, Henry produced a moment of pure inspiration 15 minutes before the break.

Robert Pires had effectively played for a free-kick just over 25 yards out, running into an impenetrable obstacle formed by Lampard and Claude Makelele with few other options around him.

Chelsea were still painstakingly lining up their wall, Cech against his left-hand upright and Gudjohnsen just four yards away from the ball, when Henry curled his effort into the far corner.

The Czech international scrambled across his line - but all to no avail. Henry, who completed a similar trick against Aston Villa last season, had put Arsenal back ahead.

Chelsea were furious, with Robben booked for dissent - although they should, in truth, have directed their anger at themselves rather than Poll because they were guilty of a naive loss of concentration.

Not only should Cech have been far more alert, but Gudjohnsen left his station in front of the ball rather too quickly.

Chelsea survived further punishment before half-time when Mourinho made two changes - bringing on Wayne Bridge and Didier Drogba for two of his Portuguese compatriots, Ricardo Carvalho and Tiago, and shifting to a 4-4-2 formation.

Within a minute of the restart, Gudjohnsen duly responded by flicking a header - perhaps rather fortuitously - past Almunia as Arsenal were once again caught cold at a set-piece.

William Gallas, who had shifted to centre-back, headed Lampard's deep free-kick back across goal - and Gudjohnsen reacted before Kolo Toure, with the ball looping into the corner, as if in slow motion.

Arsenal were defending like novices, and Lampard had so much space when Damien Duff's next corner arrived at his head that he was almost shocked into directing his effort over the bar.

The tempo was rising; the tackles were increasingly flying in, and both sides looked to inflict the next potentially crucial blow.

Reyes volleyed over the bar, and Henry's drive flashed a few feet wide - while Drogba was the next to escape Arsenal's 'laissez-faire' marking system at corners only to be penalised for handball.

Robben also embarked on a dazzling run which took him past three defenders only for his shot to hit the side-netting, while his next effort was well off-target.

But that was nothing compared to the awful miss by Henry from eight yards out as Pires' cut-back came to him invitingly, with just two defenders - and no goalkeeper - on the line. It was hard to believe that he could skew his shot so badly over the top as he did.

Lampard's drive was also unwittingly deflected over the bar by Drogba - while substitute Robin van Persie dribbled a shot just wide, and Flamini's penalty appeals went unheeded.

But Arsenal had to settle for a point as Manchester United were handed a potential route back into the title race.