Already Arsenal are looking the most likely alternatives to Manchester United as champions, and for the second time this season they are trying out second Place.
David place, the back entrance to the Champions' League, for size. A late goal from Nigel Winterburn, his first for 18 months, ended the resistance of a Chelsea team reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Frank Leboeuf, their French sweeper, mid-way through the second half. Just when it seemed that Ruud Gullit's reorganised defence would hold out, Winterburn unleashed a leftfooted shot from 25 yards that curled beyond the reach of Ed De Goey and into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Dennis Bergkamp scored Arsenal's first two goals to bring his season's total to seven, all of them away from home. The Dutchman may not like flying, but he still travels well.
More worryingly for Arsenal, however, Bergkamp was cautioned for the fourth time this season. Another yellow card and he will be suspended, unless he manages to complete five games before being booked again, in which case one of his cautions will be knocked off for good behaviour.
Chelsea found it hard turning their greater first half possession into scoring opportunities, although an early shot from Poyet might have brought a goal had it not been smartly blocked by Bould. When they did take the lead, five minutes before half time, the goal had its origins in a refereeing error.
Vialli clearly diverted the ball behind under pressure from Adams but a corner was given and taken short. Wise twice exchanged passes with Vialli and then crossed to the far post where Duberry headed the ball down and back for Poyet to turn it past Seaman.
That goal broke the game's stifling midfield mould and Arsenal drew level a minute before half time. In the best-worked move of the afternoon Vieira flicked the ball up, Ian Wright nodded it through, and Bergkamp, who had anticipated the moment, strode clear to slip a low shot past De Goey.
After that you always felt that, whatever Chelsea achieved, Arsenal would probably match it. In fact, they went ahead a minute before the hour, courtesy of a defensive muddle by the opposition. Duberry and Leboeuf got in each other's way going for the same ball and Bergkamp gratefully drove Arsenal in front.
Not that their euphoria lasted long. Within a minute Leboeuf's quick long pass had beaten the offside trap, allowing Mark Hughes to reach the right-hand byline before floating a centre away from Seaman for Zola to slide the ball into the net, for his first Premiership goal this season.
Leboeuf's departure loked like robbing the match of the promised climax, but Winterburn changed that. For Chelsea there was an unhappy postscript, with Duberry taken to hospital for an X-ray on an ankle following a lastminute tackle with one of the Arsenal substitutes, Luis Boa Morte.
