Blackburn (1) 1 Arsenal (0) 1 FT Gallacher 13 Wright 75 (pen)
Blackburn's lingering hopes of the final UEFA Cup place were all but extinguished when Ian Wright's hotly-disputed penalty gave Arsenal a point and denied 10-man Rovers the three points they realistically needed.
Only a magnificent goalline clearance by Colin Hendry in the dying minutes denied the Gunners a maximum haul as Blackburn, for whom Billy McKinlay was ordered off on 62 minutes, ran out of steam.
Blackburn had far the better of the first half even without the services of first-choice strikers Alan Shearer and Mike Newall, deputies Kevin Gallacher and Graham Fenton particularly impressive running at the three Arsenal centre-backs.
Ian Wright had the best of the early chances when Bergkamp sent him through but he pulled his shot wide.
Blackburn were ahead on 13 minutes when a magnificent ball out of defence from McKinlay sent Jason Wilcox into oceans of space. Arsenal keeper David Seaman rushed out but Wilcox cleverly robbed him for Gallacher to beat Keown in the race to apply the final touch.
Nicky Marker very nearly put the departing champions two up but Seaman reacted well to save after Marker had flicked on Hendry's header from Stuart Ripley's corner.
Wright squandered a gilt-edged chance to equalise. Merson put him clean through but Tim Flowers saved his first effort splendidly, his second shot hit the post and Merson looked a certain scorer following up, only for Marker to get in a vital block.
McKinlay's woes began just after half-time when he was booked for a foul on Parlour and 15 minutes later he was ordered off for a foul on Bergkamp.
Blackburn immediately brought on Lars Bohinen in place of Stuart Ripley and Arsenal replaced Andy Linighan with Paul Shaw as they looked to press home their advantage.
There were strong claims for a Blackburn penalty when Shaw appeared to bundle Sherwood over on 68 minutes and there was a remarkable moment four minutes later when Seaman completely fluffed a clearance only for Gallacher to chip his shot wide.
Arsenal were level on 74 minutes when Hendry made his only mistake of the game, allowing the ball to run to the byline where the alert Parlour collected it and was subsequently wrestled over by the big defender.
Flowers protested so vehemently he found his way into Mr Cooper's notebook and Wright emphatically levelled from the spot.
Three minutes from time a brilliant run by Merson looked to have set up Hartson for the winner but Hendry miraculously headed his first effort off the line and although Hartson got in two more attempts Flowers saved the first and the second was blazed over the bar.
Blackburn: (4-4-2) Flowers, Kenna, Sherwood, Hendry, Ripley (Bohinen, 63), Gallacher, Wilcox, Marker, Fenton (Warhurst, 88), McKinlay, Berg.
Subs not used: Croft.
Booked: McKinlay, Flowers.
Arsenal: (5-2-1-2) Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Platt, Wright (Hartson, 76), Merson, Bergkamp, Linighan (Shaw, 63), Keown, Parlour, Morrow (Rose, 45).
Booked: Keown.
Attendance: 29,834.
Referee: K Cooper (Pontypridd).
