Chris Hatherall: Old foes offer nothing that will give Special One sleepless nights

It certainly wasn’t the X Factor, but it was the Next Factor; a battle to prove which of these two great clubs is most likely to challenge Chelsea next season; and the bottom line is Jose Mourinho won’t be too worried.

Arsenal were so bad in the first half — not a shot on goal — that even Theo Walcott’s second-half equaliser, deflected home off Tyler Blackett, will not have stirred the Special One too much.

He could, perhaps, reflect on evidence that the Gunners are beginning to lose their fear of away games against elite opposition, a prospect that could make future title races a little closer; but equally a wastefulness in front of goal suggests they have a way to go before moving up from third to first.