Frank Lampard punished Arsenal for a lacklustre opening display with the only goal of the first-half.

Lampard, who had vowed to go on a scoring spree after hitting the net for the first time in the Premiership this season against Bolton last weekend, seized on a loose ball after 32 minutes.

Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit was back for his first starting role in a month on his first competitive return to 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.