CarlingNet - No 1 for Match Reports

Arsenal v Chelsea 04/09/96 7.45

Arsenal                 (1) 3 Chelsea                 (2) 3 FT
Merson 44                     Leboeuf 6 (pen)
Keown 64                      Vialli 30
Wright 77                     Wise 90

Dennis Wise rescued Chelsea's unbeaten record from the Highbury fire in the last minute after super sub Ian Wright came off the bench to score what looked a 77th minute winner for an Arsenal side that had trailed 2-0.

It was a sensational end to a wonderful London derby that looked to have signalled a messy bursting of Ruud Gullit's bubble, with imperious sweeper Frank Leboeuf stretchered off with a back injury.

But his classy continentals showed they also possess courage and, when substitute John Spencer slipped the ball through on the left, Wise dahsed through to crash home a last-gasp equaliser.

For bravery, though, few will match Arsenal. While the London giants give every impression at boardroom level of having already given up on the season as they wait for Frenchman Arsene Wenger to arrive from Japan, that is clearly not the mood in the dressing room.

Paul Merson threw them a lifeline on the half-time whistle with the first goal Dmitri Kharine had conceded this season.

And in a one-way second half that was all about Arsenal's determination to keep the rudderless ship off the rocks, skipper Martin Keown levelled with a towering header.

Whoever writes Wright's scripts has clearly been working overtime in the first few weeks of the season.

Injured, snubbed by the Highbury coaching staff for his role in the dismissal of manager Bruce Rioch and kept on the sidelines by caretaker boss Stewart Houston, he remains the irresistable talisman of the Gunners.

He scored after coming off the bench in the 2-0 win against Leicester 11 days ago, got another two against Watford reserves last week and milked the chants of the home crowd when he warmed up.

Finally let loose in the 74th minute, it was surely in the stars that he would make a significant impact, racing onto Nigel Winterburn's forward ball four minutes later, shrugging off a tackle and braving Kharine's boots to lob into the gaping net.

It is all action with the former England striker and he was perhaps lucky not to be sent off for an off-the-ball elbowing retaliation on Steve Clarke before the climax.

This was a cracking derby which nobody could have predicted would turn out this way after Gullit's unbeaten Chelsea started so classily.

John Lukic made an emotional return between the Highbury sticks his first Arsenal appearance for six years after re-signing on a free transfer from Leeds taking over from hamstring victim David Seaman.

But it was a comeback he will want to forget. He was beaten after only six minutes by Leboeuf's penalty after Steve Bould's scything tackle on Wise as he tracked down the right-hand side of the penalty area.

Gianluca Vialli and fellow Italian Roberto di Matteo sparkled but even the former Juventus striker will admit the second goal after 31 minutes was gift-wrapped.

Brilliant footwork by Craig Burley, nutmegging Winterburn in a move started by Vialli's tackle, gave him room to attack through the middle and release the Italian to his right.

Vialli held off Andy Linighan and cracked a rising right-foot shot between the goalkeeper and his near post, the rocketing ball flying through appalled Lukic's grasp.

But Paul Merson started the fightback a minute-and-a-half into added time. Winterburn hoisted a ball up to the edge of the area, Hartson flicked it on for Bergkamp to lay it wide and Merson's right-foot shot flew low beyond Kharine's right hand.

David Platt made his first appearance of the season to replace Steve Morrow at half-time after scoring in Lukic's testimonial at the weekend.

And Chelsea started to buckle under the constant pressure, Leboeuf booked for a foul on Bergkamp and hurt as he resisted a three-on-one break.

It should have been the equaliser but Bergkamp, with the goal at his mercy from eight yards from Hartson's cross, hooked his shot high over the bar.

With Michael Duberry on, they held out only for two more minutes before Martin Keown's 65th minute equaliser.

Merson played a short corner with Platt and curled a deep cross beyond the back post where the former England defender rose highest and thumped down a header which squirmed through the goal-line