Premiership: Campbell, Wiltord put Gunners in the lead

Second-half goals by Sol Campbell and Sylvain Wiltord have left Arsenal ahead after going a goal down to Chelsea at Highbury.

Premiership: Campbell, Wiltord put Gunners in the lead

Arsenal 2, Chelsea 1 (latest)

Second-half goals by Sol Campbell and Sylvain Wiltord have left Arsenal ahead after going a goal down to Chelsea at Highbury.

Arsene Wenger made one change at the interval in an attempt to liven up his side, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst replacing Ray Parlour in central midfield.

And, within five minutes of the restart, Arsenal were level as Sol Campbell scored his first goal since his summer move from Tottenham.

The Arsenal centre-back outjumped the Chelsea defence to head home Robert Pires’ corner, with keeper Cudicini’s appeals that he was impeded by Kanu going unheard.

The action had finally started and, soon afterwards, the first-half spirit of goodwill was well and truly over as well.

A melee followed an ugly challenge in which Le Saux connected with his knee to Vieira’s head, leaving the Frenchman holding his face.

However, Le Saux escaped with a yellow card from referee Graham Barber, as did Kanu, who had barged into the Chelsea stand-in captain as the protests started before calm temporarily prevailed again.

Arsenal were now re-energised, taking the game to Chelsea with renewed vigour, as Henry’s free-kick was just tipped around the post by Cudicini.

Sylvain Wiltord arrived to strengthen their attacking options as a 66th-minute replacement for Ljungberg and his impact was almost immediate.

Just four minutes later, Melchiot’s attempted headed clearance from a Pires free-kick only went as far as Wiltord, lurking on the edge of the area and his first-time drive flew into the far corner of the net.

Chelsea’s response was to introduce dalla Bona for Stanic, while Wenger replaced Kanu with Dennis Bergkamp.

Former Hammer Frank Lampard's goal was the difference between the sides at half-time.

Midfielder Emmanuel Petit received a polite, if hardly rapturous, reception on his first appearance at his old club.

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