Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 0:Portsmouth refused to allow Arsenal to climb back to the summit of the Barclays Premier League by holding them to a deserved draw at Fratton Park.
The Gunners, who had not been beaten by Pompey since 1958, now find themselves playing catch-up with Manchester United, who are a point clear following their demolition of Sunderland.
Arsene Wenger's side spurned late chances to take the three points they required to go back top but were disappointing overall and a Pompey back line marshalled ably by ex-Gunner Sol Campbell refused to be breached.
It was the fifth game in a row that Harry Redknapp's side had failed to give the fans a goal at home but the result could prove significant as the race for the title enters a significant phase.
Arsenal began strongly with Emmanuel Eboue causing trouble down the right flank. His first-minute cross just eluded the head of Cesc Fabregas right in front of goal but a one-two with Emmanuel Adebayor saw the Frenchman fire wildly over.
His next effort, from the edge of the box, was much better but home goalkeeper David James was able to get behind his low drive.
Pompey were guilty of playing too many nervous long balls in the opening exchanges but they soon calmed down once the recalled Kanu and top scorer Benjani began to link up regularly.
Benjani, who was required to operate as a right-sided midfielder when Arsenal were in possession, won a free-kick on the right when Gael Clichy was adjudged to have used an arm in the 18th minute.
The resulting free-kick, although initially botched by Sulley Muntari, led to the best chance of the first half.
Niko Kranjcar fired an effort just wide having neatly turned Bacary Sagna to tee up his favoured left foot but the Croatian was involved in an incident just before the break that left Arsenal skipper William Gallas hurt.
First Kanu and then Kranjcar challenged the Frenchman, who hobbled off with an ankle problem.
Gallas was able to continue wearing the armband for the second half and there was a nervous moment for the home fans when Hermann Hreidarsson made a full-blooded challenge on Kolo Toure in the Portsmouth area.
There was no margin for error but although the Arsenal man went down, the Iceland international had made enough contact with the ball for the liking of referee Steve Bennett, who then booked Lauren — another of Pompey's ex-Arsenal men — for tugging Rosicky back by the shirt.
Eboue was next in the book for a foul on Diop and, after Kanu had fired wildly off target on the turn, Arsenal swapped Eboue for Abou Diaby with 25 minutes still on the clock.
Benjani, with eight goals to his name already this season, almost made it happen in the 75th minute when Kanu's superb through-ball put him clear of the Arsenal back line.
Almunia came out to meet him and succeeded in slowing down his path forwards as the man from Zimbabwe had to veer off at an angle. And that was enough for Clichy, who used his prodigious pace to intercept and the chance evaporated as soon as it was clear that referee Bennett regarded the challenge as legal.
Benjani was replaced by John Utaka after Diop had been booked for a foul on Alex Hleb, who was swapped for Nicklas Bendtner, the goal hero of Saturday's 2-1 derby win over Spurs.
Gallas has also been a source of late goals and might have won it for the Gunners with three minutes remaining after he controlled a Fabregas shot and fired goalwards on the turn from six yards.
The ball flew just over and Portsmouth were fortunate referee Bennett did not penalise Campbell for has late challenge on the Frenchman.
Four minutes of added time followed but the game was destined to remain scoreless when Rosicky scuffed a great final chance wide.
PA