John Terry believes Chelsea are still in pole position to win the Premiership after he helped his side earn a 2-2 draw at Arsenal on ‘Judgement Day’.
The match had been billed as a Championship decider by the media but in fact the result leaves the title race still wide open.
A point apiece means Chelsea are still top, four points ahead of second-placed Everton and five above third-placed Arsenal.
The Gunners got off to the best possible start at Highbury, scoring through Thierry Henry after only two minutes.
But Three Lions star Terry equalised for Chelsea with a bullet header from a 17th- minute corner, and it was cat and mouse after that in a thrilling encounter.
Arsenal edged ahead through Henry’s quickly-taken free-kick but Chelsea equalised when Eidur Gudjohnsen headed home from a Didier Drogba knock-down just a minute into the second half.
Another Three Lions star, Frank Lampard, could have won it for Chelsea but saw his header miss the target when he was completely unmarked from a corner.
Henry then had a late chance to win it for Arsenal, who also fielded England’s Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole.
But Terry says Chelsea, who brought on Wayne Bridge at half-time and Scott Parker later on, were happy with a point.
He said: "It’s not a bad result and probably a fair one. We were a bit disappointed to be 2-1 down at half time and the manager had a few words to say. We got back in it after that and overall I think we did well."
Terry also believes the Blues and Arsenal will now battle it out for the title – despite Everton’s move up to second in the table.
He added: "I would say, no disrespect to Everton who are on a good run and gave us a good game at Stamford Bridge, that ourselves and Arsenal will be up there. It’s good for football to see Everton up there, the more the better. But overall Chelsea and Arsenal will be up there.
"But we won’t take anything lightly. Arsenal showed they are a great side and Manchester United are on a great run as well. We have to go into every game with the fight that we showed today. If we keep fighting like that it will be hard for anybody to catch us."
Elsewhere, it was a bad weekend for Steven Gerrard, Chris Kirkland and Jamie Carragher who were in the Liverpool team that lost 1-0 in the Merseyside derby at Everton.
But goalkeeper Robert Green helped Norwich to a 3-2 victory over Bolton and Stewart Downing scored a last-minute equaliser for Middlesbrough as they drew 2-2 at Southampton.
In the Championship, England Under-21 star Dean Ashton continued his fine goalscoring run by hitting the net as Crewe beat Plymouth 3-0, while Darren Bent scored for Ipswich in their 4-2 victory at QPR.