BLACKBURN ROVERS 2; ARSENAL 3: Robert Pires was once said not to possess the necessary grit and passion for English football. Times have changed. Playing with a determined poise which was admirable in such an upside-down match, the Frenchman guided his side through the hazards of losing first a two-goal lead and then Oleg Luzhny to supply the vital passes for all three Arsenal goals. Quite a performance.
The result leaves Arsenal a point adrift of Manchester United but with a game in hand. They retain their sense of self-determination and though Luzhny became their 11th dismissal of the season, and the 43rd of the Arsene Wenger era, Arsenal equalled another record of scoring in 25 Premiership games in a row. Only Liverpool had done so previously.
Dennis Bergkamp had assured them of that with his early goal and when it was followed by another from Thierry Henry, Arsenal were waltzing. But Blackburn fought back, Matt Jansen scoring twice, yet Pires undid it all with a pass 15 minutes from time which Bergkamp drilled home.
Despite much talk of injuries, Arsenal arrived with a team that was all but full strength. Only Freddie Ljungberg and Lauren of those absent could truly be said to be guaranteed his place.
And though Jansen had a good early chance for Rovers, it was no surprise when Arsenal took the lead. Pires started it, easing forward in his subtle style. The Frenchman by-passed a couple of defenders via an exchange with his compatriot Sylvain Wiltord, who then whipped in a simple knee-high cross that will have caused too much consternation in the Blackburn area for the manager Graeme Souness's liking.
Martin Taylor swung a leg but merely diverted the ball to Bergkamp, lurking at the far post. From six yards the Dutchman made no mistake with his left foot.
Having previously been involved in something of a tussle, Arsenal instantly took control. Seven minutes of slick one-touch passing later, Pires collected the ball in his own half, near the left touchline. Using his preferred right foot, Pires clipped a 40-yard pass over the static Lucas Neill.
Waiting there in an acre of space was Henry. Unsurprisingly his first instinct was to bear down on Brad Friedel, who helped Henry by hesitating, before the Frenchman placed the ball an inch inside the far post with a finish that is becoming his trademark.
Even with three quarters of the game to go, that felt like the end of the affair. Blackburn were being out-passed and had Wiltord's fine finish not been disallowed - dubiously - for offside, things would have been worse.
But that let-off kept Rovers in touch and when Jansen rose unmarked and in front of the exposed Richard Wright to flick in a 31st-minute header, the home side had caught a bit of a grip on Arsenal's coat-tails. Six minutes before half-time they were level.
Luzhny gave them a considerable hand, it must be said. Slipping comically when under no pressure, the Ukrainian gifted possession to Damien Duff. He sprinted into the area and crossed to Jansen, who made it 2-2 from 10 yards.
Neither side appeared to have been lectured on the perils of unlimited offence by their managers judging by the way both indulged in yet more carefree attacking in the second half.
Arsenal had squandered three opportunities by the 50th minute, a waste they were to regret all the more when Luzhny was booked and then sent off in the space of six minutes for routine fouls on Duff and Tugay Kerimoglu.
As tension built there was the predictable flare-up, inevitably involving Martin Keown. Jansen was the other participant and it was he who was booked. Keown then departed but with an injury rather than a card, and Blackburn set about trying to enforce their numerical superiority. Pires and Bergkamp had other ideas.
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Bjornebye (Hughes 80), Johansson, Taylor, Hignett (Gillespie 62), Tugay, Flitcroft, Duff, Jansen, Cole. Subs Not Used: Berg, Mahon, Kelly. Booked: Jansen, Tugay. Goals: Jansen 31, 39.
ARSENAL: Wright, Luzhny, Campbell, Keown (Upson 67), Cole, Pires (Grimandi 80), Vieira, Wiltord (van Bronckhorst 62), Parlour, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs Not Used: Edu, Stack. Sent Off: Luzhny (58). Booked: Luzhny, van Bronckhorst. Goals: Bergkamp 14, Henry 21, Bergkamp 75.
Referee: D Gallagher
