Chelsea leapfrogged Arsenal to go to the top of the Premiership on Tuesday despite being held to a goalless draw by Birmingham.
Chelsea are unbeaten after eight matches and lead their London rivals on goal difference, proving that the million-pound investment in the club since the takeover by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich is paying off.
And Arsenal are their next opponents, on Saturday.
Steve Bruce’s Birmingham side meanwhile moved up a place into fourth after a match featuring few goal-scoring chances.
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said he had hoped his side would have broken down the packed Birmingham defence, the rock on which their Premiership campaign has been built this season.
”We tried to create a chance but it was very, very difficult because Birmingham were defending their position with eight or nine players,” Ranieri said.
”When you dominate like us in the second half, sooner or later you will find a goal.”
Ranieri said he was looking forward to the clash at Highbury on Saturday.
”It will be a very good match, a very exciting match,” said the Italian.
Chelsea were unable to field French defensive pair Marcel Desailly and William Gallas though injury.
Ranieri revealed that Gallas’s ankle had failed to stand up to the pre-match warmup and he was forced to call on the little-known Robert Huth.
”Gallas said ‘My ankle is too painful, I don’t think I can play the match’,” said the Chelsea manager. ”I didn’t need to ask Robert Huth twice if he wanted to play.”
Joe Cole discovered just how stubborn the Birmingham defence can be in a frustrating first start for Ranieri’s multimillion-pound team — he was substituted after the break after an ineffectual display.
The best chance of the match came after seven minutes, when Chelsea full-back Wayne Bridge’s pass found Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink but defender Jamie Clapham cleared the Dutch striker’s goalbound effort.
Argentina striker Hernan Crespo drew a fine save from Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor with a volley, and Taylor had to be sharp to save Crespo’s low shot just before the interval.
Birmingham winger Stan Lazaridis posed a constant threat to Chelsea but the home side’s intention were clear as they fielded a lone striker in Christophe Dugarry, with David Dunn tucked just behind him.
The French forward unleashed an 18m shot in the first half, but Carlo Cudicini gathered his effort with ease.
Cole’s replacement, Eidur Gudjohnsen, failed to unlock the Birmingham defence. — Sapa-AFP