Kolo Toure may have never started a first-game for Arsenal but his first goal for the club secured a vital point in a frantic London derby at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Four minutes after half time, we were staring at our first defeat in 25 Premiership games. We already trailed 1-0 to Gianfranco Zola's goal before captain Patrick Vieira was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.
But Toure, on for the injured Edu after 30 minutes, started and finished the move that brought us level on the hour.
The Ivory Coast midfielder rode a couple of tackles just inside the Chelsea half before finding Ashley Cole. He sent a deep cross to Wiltord at the far post, who forced a fine one-handed save from Cudicini. The ball looped up in the air and Toure nodded into the roof of the unguarded net from point-blank range.
His celebrations in front of the visiting fans bordered on the delirious.
There has been a surprise before kick-off when Thierry Henry was ruled out with an ankle injury. Vieira had recovered from a calf injury having been rated as 50:50 before the game.
The visitors were without former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit because of a foot injury and striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was on the bench.
The early exchanges had all the hustle and bustle you would expect from a London derby – but none of the quality. Chelsea had the early impetus but the only danger came from a couple of well-flighted free-kicks that were hurriedly hacked clear by Vieira and Martin Keown.
The game started to rouse itself midway through the half when Ray Parlour collected Lauren's corner and sent a rasping drive narrowly wide.
In the 25th minute, Jesper Gronkjaer raced clear down the right and sent a dangerous ball across the face goal. It evaded Sol Campbell and Gudjohnsen but not Boudewijn Zenden, who sent an angled shot just wide of the far post.
Edu limped off with a knee problem soon afterwards and Toure came off the bench to replace him on the left side of midfield. His first touch helped set up our best chance of the half. Toure jinked around Ferrer before feeding Wiltord. The French international cut inside his marker and forced Cudicini into a
scrambling save at the near post.
But the expected Arsenal pressure did not materialise and it was Chelsea who took the lead soon afterwards.
Zola slung a free-kick into the area from 30 yards out. David Seaman and Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen jumped to meet the ball at the far post but both missed it entirely. Much to the delight of the home fans, the ball drifted just inside the upright.
Backed by their boisterous home support, the poured forward in the final few minutes of the half and threw crosses into the area. Our defence creaked a little but refused to crack.
Four minutes after the restart, we were reduced to 10 men when Vieira was sent off. Our captain had been booked in the first half for the foul that lead to Chelsea's goal. When he clipped Gronkjaer near to the touchline, referee immediately brandished a second yellow card.
It was already a sunny afternoon but the temperature rose further in the following few minutes. Toure's equaliser calmed matters on the hour.
Chelsea were stung by the goal and three minutes later took top scorer Hasselbaink off the bench but, if anything, we seemed more comfortable playing with 10 men than 11. The famous Arsenal resilience had kicked in.
Kanu sent Parlour clear but Stanic managed to dispossess the England international as he shaped to shoot. The nearest Chelsea came was when Stanic stretched Seaman with a header.
Wenger withdrew both his starting strikers in the final seven minutes. One of the replacements was centre back Pascal Cygan. It showed the manager was happy to keep what he had got.
