Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
Jose Mourinho maintained his hold over Arsene Wenger as Chelsea moved a point closer to clinching the Premier League title at the Emirates.
The Blues played out a goalless draw with the Gunners to make it 13 games unbeaten for the Special One against his French counterpart.
If Chelsea beat Leicester City on Wednesday night they can then claim the trophy with victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Diego Costa failed a late fitness test and was unable to make the squad and Mourinho sprung a surprise with his team selection in the absence of his top scorer.
Didier Drogba was only named on the bench as the Blues opted not the field a recognised striker and instead went with a front three of Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard to provide attacking thrust.
David Ospina, Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal and Olivier Giroud returned to the Arsenal starting XI at the expense of Wojciech Szczesny, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs and Danny Welbeck.
Ospina’s first involvement was to clatter into Oscar, who moments after having a first penalty appeal turned down, had latched onto a long ball and bravely lifted it over the goalkeeper.
Bellerin provided vital cover to head the shot clear from danger but the Gunners keeper’s collision with the playmaker was the talking point.
Mourinho and his assistant Steve Holland were up in arms and demanding answers from the fourth official over why referee Michael Oliver didn’t deem either challenge worthy of a spot-kick.
Cesc Fabregas, making his first appearance at the Emirates since leaving in 2011, was then booked for the diving in the box and the baying crowd made no secret of their pleasure at his misfortune.
Then it was Arsene Wenger’s turn to question the man in the middle as Francis Coquelin’s goal-bound effort appeared to strike Gary Cahill’s raised arm but Oliver waved away the protests.
Chelsea really should have gone in ahead at the break when Willian played a delicate pass through to Ramires but the Brazilian’s attempt was gathered easily by Ospina and it remained goalless.
Drogba, who had scored 15 goals in 15 games in his previous meetings with Arsenal coming into this one, completed a half-time warm and replaced a concussed Oscar for the second 45 minutes.
But it was a quiet second half in comparison to the heated first period and Wenger brought on attacking duo Welbeck and Theo Walcott to try and make inroads in north London.
However, neither could find a way through the Chelsea defence and Mourinho’s side settled for a point and inched closer to a first domestic title since 2010.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas (Zouma, 89), Ramires, Oscar (Drogba, 45), Willian (Cuadrado, 93), Hazard.
Subs (not used): Cech, Luis, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek.
