London, Sept 14: English premier league leaders Arsenal lose 100 percent record after a 1-1 home draw with Portsmouth. Arsenal, playing in front of their home crowd at Highbury, were held to a 1-1 draw by newly promoted Portstmouth on Saturday (September 13) in London. The leaders gave an early impression to be on the road for a fifth successive win as Ray Parlour drilled a 30-metre drive over the crossbar of goalkeeper Shaka Hislop in the 20th minute. Just a minute later, the visitors replied in style when Nigerian Yakubu Ayegbini ran half the pitch before being denied by Arsenal's German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. Playing with confidence, Portsmouth went ahead in the 26th minute when former Tottenham favourite Teddy Sheringham silenced the Arsenal fans with a diving header for his fifth goal of the season.


Arsenal equalised with a twice-taken penalty by Thierry Henry after 40 minutes after referee Alan Wiley ruled that Serbia and Montenegro defender Dejan Stefanovic fouled Robert Pires on the edge of the box.


Portsmouth came from the break convinced they could hold their opponents and they almost went in front as Yakubu Ayegbini missed a great opportunity in the the 51st minute.


Arsenal stepped up the pressure but could not find the winner. Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp tried from close range before Brazilian midfielder Edu was denied by Portsmouth goalie Hislop.


Near the end, Ivory Coast utility player Kolo Toure was unlucky to see his late effort pass just wide of Arsenal's goal after England international defender Sol Campbell joined the attack in search of a victory that never came.


The 1-1 drwa left Arsenal at the top the table but only one point behind Manchester United, while Portsmouth remained unbeaten in fourth place.


Match summary: Arsenal 1 - Thierry Henry 40pen Portsmouth 1 - Teddy Sheringham 26 Halftime: 1-1 Attendance: 38,052


English league soccer standings after matches played on Saturday (September 13): P W D L F A Pts 1. Arsenal 5 4 1 0 11 3 13 2. Manchester United 5 4 0 1 9 2 12 3. Chelsea 4 3 1 0 10 6 10 4. Portsmouth 5 2 3 0 8 3 9 5. Southampton 5 2 3 0 5 2 9 6. Liverpool 5 2 2 1 7 3 8 7. Manchester City 4 2 1 1 8 5 7 8. Birmingham City 3 2 1 0 2 0 7 9. Fulham 3 2 0 1 7 5 6 10. Blackburn Rovers 5 1 2 2 12 11 5 11. Leeds United 4 1 2 1 6 6 5 12. Charlton Athletic 5 1 2 2 6 7 5 13. Everton 5 1 2 2 8 10 5 14. Bolton Wanderers 5 1 2 2 4 10 5 15. Aston Villa 4 1 1 2 4 5 4 16. Tottenham Hotspur 5 1 1 3 4 9 4 17. Newcastle United 4 0 2 2 5 7 2 18. Leicester City 4 0 2 2 4 7 2 19. Middlesbrough 5 0 1 4 4 12 1 20. Wolverhampton Wanderers 5 0 1 4 1 12 1


Bureau Report