Arsenal shaken, but unbeaten run continues

Portsmouth 1 Arsenal 1

Arsenal stretched their unbeaten Barclaycard Premiership run to 36 games but that proud record came under serious threat at Fratton Park tonight.

Pompey, who guaranteed their top-flight survival with a draw against Fulham on Saturday, dominated long periods of the first half and their 1-0 interval lead courtesy of Yakubu’s strike in the 31st minute was well deserved.

But Arsenal struck back in the second half through Spanish striker Jose Reyes to ensure Arsene Wenger’s men remain unbeaten with two games of the season remaining.

Pompey could have taken all three points in the last 10 minutes with Gunners keeper Jens Lehmann making two fine saves in quick succession while Sol Campbell kept out a promising shot from Lomana Lua Lua.

But the Gunners defence – the tightest in the Premiership and well marshalled by Campbell – held firm in the face of some heavy pressure from Harry Redknapp’s rejuvenated side.

Wenger rested Dennis Bergkamp, Gilberto Silva and Robert Pires for the match but he still fielded the backbone of his championship winning side with Campbell, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry featuring in the starting line-up.

But even with the trio of Gunners stars in action, Arsenal found themselves under the cosh for long periods as the Premiership’s form team – Pompey are now unbeaten in six matches – caused plenty of problems.

Their industry meant the visitors had to work hard to avoid their first league defeat of the season and memories of March’s 5-1 thrashing in the FA Cup quarter-finals were well and truly erased.

But there were a few worrying moments early on as Arsenal threatened with Ashley Cole finding space down the left to slip a pass to Freddie Ljungberg but the Swedish international was caught offside and the move ground to a halt.

A sloppy back pass from from Patrick Vieira nearly let Lomana Lua Lua in, while moments later Ayegbeni Yakubu tested Jens Lehmann with a powerful drive following a 30-yard dash down the pitch.

Lua Lua shot wide as Arsenal were forced to deal with a series of enterprising raids from Pompey who were the more inventive side during the opening 20 minutes.

Reyes blasted high over the crossbar to ensure Shaka Hislop was little more than a spectator in the home goal.

And Reyes went desperately close with a volley after being teed-up by Ljungberg but his effort thundered inches over as the Gunners started to compete on equal terms.

A Henry shot took a nasty deflection before slipping out for a corner which the French striker then curled in to Vieira but his header flashed across the face of goal.

Reyes linked with Ljungberg once again but did not have the space to unleash his shot – a problem which scarcely affected him moments later when he struck the bar with a magnificent 30-yard screamer.

Arsenal were back on top but their ascendancy was swiftly wiped out in the 31st minute as Pompey slipped 1-0 ahead through Yakubu who picked up Matthew Taylor’s long pass – which was accidentally nudged on by Kolo Toure – and squeezed the ball past Lehmann.

The Gunners tried to hit back when Ljungberg sent Henry tearing through but Hislop snuffed out the danger while at the other Yakubu nodded wide.

There was plenty of drama three minutes after the interval as Arsenal poured forward in search of the equaliser and they were rewarded through Reyes.

Henry had seen his shot come back off the underside of the bar after a fine Hislop save but Pompey then buckled under the pressure when Henry’s ensuing corner was cleared as far as Reyes and the Spaniard fired home.

He turned villain in the 53rd minute, however, after picking up an Henry pass and then slicing his shot off target when he should have done far better.

Kanu, on for David Bentley, saw his shot blocked by a wall of blue shirts and the big Nigerian striker was almost in on goal after 64 minutes but skipper Arjan de Zeeuw reached Ljungberg’s pass first with the goalmouth beckoning.

Yakubu collided with Lehmann as he charged towards goal and the German keeper’s brave challenge snuffed out the threat.

Portsmouth nearly regained the lead when Lua Lua fed Yakubu but Lehmann was out quickly, managing to catch his opponent’s shot with some quick reactions.

And Lehmann was called into action again with nine minutes to go when he met Dejan Stefanovic’s free kick with an athletic save, while shortly after Campbell blocked Lua Lua’s effort as Arsenal held out for the draw.