Didier Drogba struck twice as Chelsea fought back from a goal down to beat Arsenal 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and move up to second in the table.The Gunners took the lead through Bacary Sagna's first goal for the club on the hour mark but Drogba was on target twice in the final 17 minutes to rescue Chelsea's outstanding home record and put them firmly in the race for the title.
The visitors started well but it was the Blues who fashioned the first opening when Michael Ballack's curling free-kick from 25 yards was well held by Manuel Almunia.
Robin van Persie blasted well wide from 20 yards after a good passing move from the Gunners but Drogba should have given the home side the lead in the 25th minute.
Frank Lampard's volleyed pass through the middle saw Drogba outpace Kolo Toure but the Ivory Coast frontman lost control when bearing down on Almunia and the Gunners stopper gathered comfortably.
Carlo Cudicini did well to save with his feet from Emmanuel Eboue three minutes later but Salomon Kalou squandered another terrific chance for Avram Grant's men just before the break.
Lampard's free-kick was nodded down by Ballack but Kalou somehow missed his kick from six yards out with the goal gapping and Arsenal survived.
Arsene Wenger's men started the second period brightly with Matthieu Flamini forcing Cudicini into a smart stop at his near post while at the other end Drogba fired well over under pressure from Gallas.
But it was the Gunners who broke the deadlock in the 59th minute through the unlikeliest of sources when Sagna flicked a near post header from Cesc Fabregas' corner past a scrambling Cudicini.
Grant introduced Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti for Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele with 20 minutes to go, and the changes produced an immediate response from Chelsea three minutes later when Drogba lashed home the equaliser after benefitting from a fortunate break of the ball on the edge of the box.
And the turnaround was complete with eight minutes to go when Belletti's long ball foward was flicked on by Anelka to Drogba eight yards out and although the striker's volley lacked power Almunia failed to keep it out.
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