Even then the Emirates crossbar was left vibrating long after the final whistle by an even fiercer Davide Zappacosta effort that could yet have snatched the win for Chelsea.

But while the late equaliser saw Arsenal fans head into the night largely happy, it cannot hide the fact they are 23 points off the pace and desperately need to tie down at least two of their three best players before they head off into the sunset.

Wilshere they hope to get chained down in the coming days. But increasingly, the recent improvement in performances from Mesut Ozil look at best a negotiating ploy and at worst a share of the determination that Sanchez seems to have to use this month to put himself in the shop window.

With so much focus on Arsenal’s want-away stars at the top of the formation, it did at least distract attention from the very flimsy foundation Wenger had constructed behind it at the back.

Calum Chambers, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding had just 16 Premier League starts between them in the season so far and it took just one giant punt upfield from Victor Moses to highlight that lack of experience after just 14 minutes.

The ball bounced between the three of them, Chambers pointed forlornly to suggest Petr Cech might to dash 30 yards from goal and suddenly Alvaro Morata was 10 yards clear with only the Arsenal goalkeeper to beat.

More than enough time to pick a spot; inexplicably, the one he chose was several feet wide of Cech’s far post – the glaring miss not enough to spare Arsenal’s defence a classic Wenger rant from the touchline.

Further forward, at least Arsenal were looking much brighter with – that’s right, you’ve guessed it – Alexis Sanchez leading the way.

A sublime one-two with Ozil teed Sanchez up for a 12-yard shot which not only hit the inside of one post but agonisingly trickled along the goalline to strike the other before bouncing away to safety.

In the 23rd minute, the Germany international picked out Alexander Lacazette around the penalty spot as only Ozil can. For once, the disappointingly goal-shy France striker picked the perfect spot but Thibaut Courtois somehow got his paw down to the ball just inside the post and turned it away.

A similarly inventive defence-splitting pass from Cesc Fabregas gave Tiemoue Bakayoko an opening, only for Cech to palm the ball over the bar.

After moaning about so many soft penalties conceded, Wenger would not have minded if referee Anthony Taylor had pointed to the spot when Ainsley Maitland-Niles fell with Victor Moses close behind – quite rightly, the Cheshire official was having none of it.

Instead, the match remained evenly poised, so much so that when Wilshere scythed through Fabregas to pick up the game’s first yellow card, the former Arsenal player felt it only right he should even up the bookings with a similar challenge just before the break.

Chelsea were quickest out of the blocks in the second half, Cech saving well from Hazard and then turning aside a Morata header when Bakayoko quickly launched the ball back into the danger area.

Lacazette’s frustrating season continued when in the 52nd minute a world class turn bamboozled Cahill but then his shot arrowed straight at Courtois, who saved with his heel.

Then came the moment the Emirates had waited so long for. Holding’s pass took a deflection off Morata but Wilshere did not mind that - his stretching, left-foot effort flying in off the post to spark emotional celebrations by the corner flag.

They were to be short-lived. Within minutes, Bellerin made a mess of trying to tackle Hazard, kicked his foot and the Belgium international did the damage himself from the spot.

Alonso’s easy tap-in from Zappacosta’s low cross was another defensive horror-show and although Bellerin’s rescue will lead to talk of character and never-say-die attitude, going forward Arsenal would swap that for Chelsea’s more genuine collective strength in a heart-beat.