Arsenal - 2 Manchester Utd - 2 It was too much of an enthralling muddle to give a lucid answer about the destination of the title.
Arsenal, a goal behind, must be content with a draw, particularly after Sol Campbell was sent off in the 83rd minute for elbowing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He now misses the FA Cup final.
United maintain a three-point lead, having played a game more, and were generally impressive at Highbury. With that 6-2 win over Newcastle United behind them, Manchester United did not so much travel to Highbury as hurtle there.
Despite some nervousness, they began the game at a sprint as well. Arsenal recognised that a period of containment was required, but the visitors are in the sort of form where they either pick locks or simply blow them apart.
By the time Ruud van Nistelrooy, after 24 minutes, opened the scoring with his 37th goal of the season, he and Paul Scholes had already wasted opportunities. The match was not being conducted on Arsenal's terms and the Premiership champions had ill-luck, as well as United, to undermine them.
David Seaman had a virus and was finally ruled out at six o'clock while Patrick Vieira did not last beyond 8.35 p.m.
Restricted by the knee injury collected in the FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United, the captain had to make way for Edu well before the interval.
Games can take on their own surprising character and Arsenal could never have imagined that they would be relieved only to be a goal down at half-time.
Their opponents looked more at ease with themselves. The United fans revelled in the rout at St James' Park and Alex Ferguson was still sufficiently enamoured with the performance to pick the same line-up here. David Beckham, despite recovering from tight hamstrings, was on the bench.
This United selection had enjoyed one another's company at the weekend too much to be disturbed. In any case, the trip to the north-east had been a rehearsal of sorts. The swift Mikael Silvestre was utilised in central defence there to counter Craig Bellamy as he geared up for the greater challenge of Thierry Henry.
The attacking pattern, too, had been laid down. United were back in the groove when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after nine minutes, piloted a long cross over Martin Keown, only for Scholes to head wide. The midfielder had claimed a hat-trick against Newcastle but tension of this fixture was a source of miscalculations.
When a Scholes flick beat the off-side trap in the 21st minute, van Nistelrooy uncharacteristically dabbed his attempt at a lobbed finish on to the roof of the net. The clemency, however, could not continue when Arsenal were inviting such harm.
Three minutes later, the Dutchman exchanged passes with Ryan Giggs and once he had beaten Sol Campbell there was no prospect of the pursuing Martin Keown catching him before he lifted a finish beyond Stuart Taylor.
Arsenal fans were desolate, but no one else in the crowd would have been deflated by the prospect of this contest.
The traditional, intimate atmosphere of Highbury must be prized by the Arsenal squad on a night like this. The team had been enigmatic, leaving everyone to wonder whether their subdued performance in the FA Cup semi-final win was an energy-saving device or proof that their form is slipping at a key moment in the season.
The uproar here must, at least, have impelled them, but it was still clear that they have flagged at a critical stage in the season. There were skirmishes around the United area, but Roy Keane patrolled that zone with zeal and judgment.
It is difficult to imagine Arsene Wenger delivering a call to arms in the dressing-room. His team were more in need of reassurance.
When they re-emerged, it was obvious they had regrouped and prepared themselves for a fresh start. The equaliser featured a large element of luck, but it also sprang from Arsenal's best attack of the game.
With 51 minutes gone, there was a neat exchange of roles as Robert Pires dropped deeper and put Ashley Cole in for a swerving run that carried him across Wes Brown. Even so, his shot would have been unlikely to beat Fabien Barthez had it not taken a deflection off Henry.
The tonic effect may have been all the greater for the recognition of the good fortune. It was Arsenal, for a while, who exuded conviction, even if they only took the lead thanks to a linesman's error.
Henry should have been ruled off-side from Gilberto's pass in the 62nd minute, but, allowed to race free, he slipped the ball home.
United's spirit is, however, rarely broken and Arsenal have a habit of relaxing prematurely. A minute later, Solskjaer crossed and Giggs headed home from close range.
A match that was supposed to decide the title had trouble separating these sides.
ARSENAL: Taylor, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Silva, Vieira (Edu 34), Pires (Kanu 80), Bergkamp (Wiltord 75), Henry. Subs Not Used: Warmuz, Luzhny. Sent Off: Campbell (83). Goals: Cole 51, Henry 62.
MAN UTD: Barthez, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea (Gary Neville 45), Solskjaer, Butt, Keane, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Beckham, Ricardo, Fortune. Booked: Keane, Butt. Goals: van Nistelrooy 24, Giggs 63.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
