Bradford City 1

Arsenal 1

The fighting spirit that kept Bradford City in the Premiership last season is alive and well.

That is the message from this pulsating match that contained all the best the Premiership has to offer. The pace never slackened as the attack-minded teams served up some great entertainment.

Also on display amid the excitement was the extra quality City have added to their play.

The 6-0 defeat at Manchester United proved that City still have some way to go in the quality stakes.

However, although the season is a little more than three weeks old, they have already proved in the matches against other leading sides, Chelsea and Arsenal they will be a match for anyone at home.

The word home is significant since it was at Valley Parade that City secured their Premiership status last season and it promises to be much the same this time.

They have certainly made a good start with an unbeaten record from their first three home matches with a win against Chelsea and draws against Leicester and Arsenal.

Leicester's unbeaten record at the top of the Premiership proves what a well earned point that was and the 1-1 draw against Arsenal, runners-up in the Premiership last season comes into the same category.

Although Arsenal created more chances, City were good value for their point following a dogged defensive performance in which goalkeeper Matt Clarke made some outstanding saves and, yet, Benito Carbone could have snatched all three points.

The Italian striker fired high over the crossbar 14 minutes from the end and then, as the match moved into stoppage time, he shot wide.

Significantly, both chances were created inside the six yard area as City breached the Arsenal defence with well worked moves, first from a corner and then from a throw-in.

'Clarkey for England' has become a favourite chant among the City fans and the 26-year-old keeper responded with another fine performance as he continues to display his international credentials.

Clarke made superb saves to keep out shots from Fredrik Ljungberg, Thierry Henry and Ray Parlour to keep City in the match as Arsenal piled on the pressure.

Such was the intensity of Arsenal's pressure that he was beaten on four occasions, but his outstanding early season form as established as a leading Premiership goalkeper.

He was beaten when the outstanding Henry hit the post in the third minute and City's summer signings from Sheffield Wednesday came to his aid in the second half.

First, Robert Pires' cross passed over his head in the second half and Ian Nolan headed out from under the crossbar and then Peter Atherton cleared off the line from Pires and he could do nothing to stop Arsenal scoring their 66th minute equaliser.

Inevitably, the goal was created by Henry whose pace and his willingness to shoot on almost any occasion was a constant source of trouble to City.

But, when he received the ball on the right from Ljungberg's pass he unselfishly crossed the ball towards the far post for 19-year-old left back Ashley Cole to score Arsenal's equaliser.

Arsenal deserved their equaliser after creating a string of chances, but it was City who struck first in the tenth minute after the Gunners had made all the early running.

Defender Martin Keown could only head the ball out as far as Stuart McCall and the City skipper seized his chance to score with a superbly placed shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

That goal shook Arsenal, but it took them 56 minutes to score their equaliser as City's back four of Atherton, Nolan, Wetherall and Myers doggedly kept them out with some timely tackles, last ditch clearances and great covering.

Manager Chris Hutchings dropped right back Gunnar Halle in one of four changes after the defeat at Old Trafford to bring in Myers to play alongside Wetherall at the centre of the defence.

He also brought in winger Peter Beagrie and striker Ashley Ward for their first full games of the season. Beagrie replaced Lee Sharpe and Ward came in for Dean Windass, while Dan Petrescu was back aftyer injury.

Myers, who replaced the injured Andrew O'Brien against Leicester a fortnight ago, had an outstanding game until he went off with a hamstring injury nine minutes from the end.

None battled better in midfield than McCall while in attack Carbone tormented Keown with his tricky runs as well as trying the patience of the England defender. What a pity he couldn't crown his fine performance with a winning goal.

Hutchings was sympathetic to Carbone. He said: "Beni could have won it for us, but as long as he keeps getting there he will score.

"We started a little bit slowly and they could have had a couple of early goals, but they are going to create chances. They have quality throughout the side, but it is how you adapt to being under pressure that counts and sometimes you have got to ride your luck.

"We had to bounce back after our midweek defeat and we were delighted to get a point against a quality side."