Pompey fall to Campbell's cracker

Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 1

It was suggested to Wenger that Chelsea look unstoppable, but he argued: “That is not my belief. A lot can happen over the season. A lot can change.”

Arsenal’s win was marred, though, by news of an injury to Spanish striker Jose Antonio Reyes who could be out for two weeks with a damaged knee.

Portsmouth coach Joe Jordan - running the team with executive director Velimir Zajec until a successor to Harry Redknapp is named - said: “The hard reality is that we didn’t take our chances. It is disappointing.”

It took Sol Campbell’s first Premiership goal in 16 months to steer Arsenal past a rather uncomfortable Portsmouth challenge and back into second place.

Fifteen minutes from the end of a bruising, fast-moving battle, managerless Portsmouth looked the more likely winners.

But then England centre-back Campbell strode forward and as Pompey backed off, clearly expecting him to make a pass, he exploded a low drive past goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown.

That was enough to end Portsmouth’s four-match unbeaten run under the caretaker management of executive director Velimir Zajec and coach Joe Jordan, but they should be proud of their team’s efforts against the Gunners who barely managed a shot in the second half - until Campbell’s intervention.

Even after Campbell’s strike it was not quite over, with Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia having to make two remarkable saves in quick succession from Lomana LuaLua, the first one with his face after the ball appeared to bounce up off a divot.

But Arsenal stole a victory where Manchester United lost last month and where Chelsea have to come a week on Tuesday.

There was no doubt about the visitors’ class in the first half, however. Patrick Vieira, back from suspension, masterminded their approach but also slipped and swept a Thierry Henry corner over the crossbar with the goal gaping in the 12th minute.

He beat the ground in frustration and Henry must have felt like doing the same as goalkeeper Ashdown, who once played eight weeks in Arsenal’s reserves, twice bravely blocked when he had sneaked in behind the home defence.

LuaLua relieved the pressure on Pompey, cutting in from the left and hitting a low drive not far wide from 20 yards.

And it was Arsenal’s turn to have a bit of luck when LuaLua’s long ball upfield sent Gary O’Neil in hopeful pursuit, even though Kolo Toure should have had matters well under control.

The centre-back blundered and gave the ball away but O’Neil steered his shot wide with the Arsenal defence floundering.

A dazzling series of passes just before half-time almost cut Portsmouth open with Henry finally trying to slide the ball home only to just miss the far post.

Almost immediately LuaLua broke for Pompey down the right and fed Fuller whose powerful shot was half-blocked by Toure.

Fuller missed another good opening after the break when Patrik Berger split the Arsenal defence, and the former Preston man was soon replaced by Aiyegbeni Yakubu, back after six games out with a knee injury.

Campbell drilled home his spectacular strike in the 75th minute to dampen the enthusiasm of the home crowd, yet there remain a grandstand finish in store.

When Vieira dallied in the centre circle, he was robbed by Steve Stone who poked the ball through for Yakubu. Almunia just got there first - at the expense of an injury which needed treatment.

Almunia was up on his feet to help defy Portsmouth’s late siege which deserved at least the same reward as the point they took from Arsenal in this game last season, but this time the home side finished empty-handed.

PORTSMOUTH: Ashdown, Griffin, De Zeeuw, Primus, Taylor, Stone, O’Neil, Faye (Berkovic 83), Berger, LuaLua, Fuller (Yakubu 55).

ARSENAL: Almunia, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Pires, Flamini, Vieira, Clichy, Van Persie (Bergkamp 68), Henry.

Referee: H Webb.

Former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan has turned down the chance to manage Portsmouth.

The club received a decision from the Scot today after club director Terry Brady held initial talks with him in London.