Gunners shoot down Chelsea

Wise (left) was involved in the brawl

Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

A fiery and pulsating FA Cup fifth round London derby ended with Arsenal knocking holders Chelsea out of the competition to reach the last eight.

Arsenal substitute Sylvain Wiltord's second-half double proved the crucial strikes in a match marred by a confrontation involving a number of players before the interval.

Wiltord's brace came after Thierry Henry's opener from the penalty spot had been cancelled out by spectacular Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink equaliser.

  Key incidents

2 mins: Dennis Bergkamp has a goal disallowed for fouling Marcel Desailly

18: Robert Pires blazes wildly over at the far post

23: Ljungberg's low shot from the edge of the area is wide

37: The confrontation ensues

45: A Zola effort is hoisted well over Seaman's bar

50: Henry converts an Arsenal penalty

61: Hasselbaink controls and shoots equaliser

65: Gudjohnsen hits post following Chelsea corner

73:Wiltord latches onto a long ball over the top and chips Cudicini

84: Wiltord converts Lauren's pull-back

All the goals came in an entertaining second period and took away the limelight from the first half clash which threatened to overshadow the match.

The high-profile encounter had threatened to boil over after 37 minutes when both sets of players were involved in an ugly confrontation.

Arsenal's Robert Pires and Chelsea's Dennis Wise looked be having some harsh words before home striker Thierry Henry entered the fray.

Tempers then quickly flared as both sets of players became involved in the incident and, when calm was finally brought to the storm, Dennis Wise, Hasselbaink and Henry were booked.

In the lead up to the clash, Chelsea left-back Celestine Babyaro survived a possible penalty appeal after 31 minutes when he appeared to be holding Ljungberg in the Chelsea area.

Fortunate to escape any punishment, Babyaro was then involved in two skirmishes which saw him seemingly kick Freddie Ljungberg and Dennis Bergkamp in close succession in the lead up to players' confrontation.

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri saw an entertaining match

Arsenal had looked like taking control of the game before the controversial scenes but Pires blazed over and Ljungberg dragged a shot wide in their best openings.

But the home side only had to wait five minutes into the second-half to take the lead.

Chelsea second-half substitute Jesper Gronkjaer was tracking back and gifted Arsenal a penalty when he brought down Lauren.

Henry converted the spot-kick.

Chelsea's response was emphatic and came from striker Hasselbaink.

The Dutchman looked to have little opportunity to score when given the ball just outside the Gunners' area after 61 minutes.

But one touch and a powerful and precise shot to the far post later and Chelsea were level.

In an enthralling second-half, the visitors striker Eidur Gudjohnsen then struck the post from close range following a Chelsea corner before Arsenal regained their advantage.

Wiltord latched onto a long ball forward from defence and chipped the on-rushing goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini after 73 minutes.

The Frenchman then put the game virtually beyond Chelsea's reach when he slotted in a Lauren pull-back after 84 minutes.

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Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Luzhny, Stepanovs, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Pires, Lauren, Henry, Bergkamp. Subs: Wiltord, Manninger, Malz, Vivas, Kanu.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferrer, Desailly, Terry, Babayaro, Jokanovic, Dalla Bona, Wise, Poyet, Hasselbaink, Zola. Subs: de Goey, Leboeuf, Stanic, Gudjohnsen, Gronkjaer.

Referee: G Barber (Tring)