Arsenal vs Chelsea match draw 0-0
John Obi Mikel was fortunate to avoid a red card after the Chelsea midfielder crunched into Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also complained they should have had a penalty for Willian's challenge on Theo Walcott.
It was a frustrating night for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who failed to secure his first win over Jose Mourinho at the 10th attempt and as a result saw his side waste an opportunity to climb back above leaders Liverpool.
Instead, second placed Arsenal go into the Christmas programme level on points with Liverpool but behind the Anfield outfit on goal difference.
Chelsea, who moved up to fourth and are two points behind Liverpool, finished the more satisfied side after stifling Arsenal with ease and creating the better of the few chances on offer.
"We controlled the game defensively. It was a tactical match, a match where neither side wanted to lose," Mourinho said.
"We want creative players who use the ball and kill opponents. But there are some matches where we have to take one step backwards and play with a different philosophy."
Wenger had admitted Arsenal had a point to prove after last weekend's 6-3 thrashing at Manchester City prompted many pundits to question his team's chances of lasting the pace in the title race, but this spluttering performance will hardly silence the doubters.
Mourinho sent Chelsea out in a 4-5-1 formation, with Fernando Torres as the lone striker, and that cautious approach worked impressively as Arsenal struggled to find any rhythm.
It didn't help that torrential rain and gale-force winds lashed the Emirates throughout the match, making passing something of a lottery.
Frank Lampard made a typically intelligent run to meet Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the early stages, but for once the Chelsea midfielder's clinical finishing deserted him and he scuffed a mistimed effort well wide.
Mourinho's men finally cast off their defensive shackles just before the break and almost took the lead when Lampard met Eden Hazard's pass with volley against the crossbar.
The ball rebounded to safety, but Arsenal were under the cosh again moments later when Torres tested Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a snap-shot on the turn.
Wenger was growing increasingly vexed on the touchline and he was furious when referee Mike Dean refused to even book Mikel for his aggressive lunge on Arteta.
Mikel's eyes were on the ball when he went into the tackle and Arteta slid in with equal intent, but it was the Chelsea midfielder whose follow-through contained more menace and could easily have left the Spaniard nursing a serious injury.
Arsenal's anger increased when they appealed in vain for a penalty after Willian's challenge caught Walcott on the foot without making contact with the ball.
Willian squandered a golden opportunity to add to Arsenal's angst when he shot straight at Szczesny after a rapid break caught the hosts out-numbered.
Arteta was the victim of another crunching tackle from Ramires, but the Brazilian escaped with just a booking.
By now Walcott, usually so mild mannered, had had enough and the winger responded by chopping down Azpilicueta, earning a yellow card of his own.
The tone of an already fiery match became ever more combustible after Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic caught Mesut Ozil and then started a bout of shoving with an incensed Kieran Gibbs.
Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky sought retribution and went into the book for a crude foul on Ivanovic.
It was Arsenal who finished the stronger, with Giroud firing into the side-netting and then forcing Cech to block at his near post.
Bacary Sagna's header was cleared off the line by Azpilicueta, but neither side deserved to take the points on an ugly night.
Kohli,
who stroked 119 and 96 in the two innings in the first Test against
South Africa, was the second highest-ranked Indian after Cheteshwar
Pujara, another centurion in the same match in Johannesburg, who
remained on seventh spot after earning 37 rating points. (Also read: Kohli shocked South Africa did not go for win vs India)
Top-ranked women recurve archer Deepika Kumari of Jharkhand on Monday created two national records in the FITA round on the 
Ace
shooter Ronjan Sodhi won the double trap gold, while another top
marksman Sanjeev Rajput bagged the yellow metal in the 50m rifle 3
position event in the 57th National Shooting Championship at Dr Karni
Singh Range here on Monday.
Russian
tennis star Nadia Petrova has pulled out of January's Australian Open
following the death in a car accident of her mother, herself an Olympic
athletics bronze medallist.
Barcelona's
emblematic midfielder Andres Iniesta signed a three-year contract
extension with the La Liga leaders Monday, keeping him with the club
until at least 2018.