Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal

	Robert Pires celebrates what looked like being the winner (CliveBrunskill/Allsport)

Amazingly, having soaked up the bile and the bitterness heaped upon him on his first return to the stadium where he strolled as a Colossus for nine years, Campbell even retained the peace of mind to act swiftly as peacemaker when tempers frayed around him.

As captains Patrick Vieira and Teddy Sheringham went head-to-head like a couple of angry snorting bulls as they disappeared down the players' tunnel at the interval respite, Campbell thrust his burly physique between the irresponsible protagonists and reduced the potential for an ugly fracas.

He succeeded equally in cutting an authoritative figure within the White Hart Lane arena, seemingly oblivious to the barrage of boos and 'Judas' catcalls every time he found himself in the vicinity of the ball.

Slowly but surely, Campbell succeeded in diverting the bulk of the attention to a typically fast and frenetic derby confrontation which crackled with highly competitive action.

Indeed, in all probability the most disturbing aspect for Campbell was the mounting evidence that manager Glenn Hoddle's pledge to restore Spurs to something like their former glories is already beginning to bear fruit.

Certainly, Campbell and his new Arsenal cohorts had their work cut out to curtail the threat from the club he served so manfully.

Even so, it required an unfortu-nate blunder by goalkeeper Richard Wright to deny Campbell the considerable joy of a winning riposte to the supporters who once adored him.

Poor Wright. After performing so splendidly, David Seaman's understudy allowed a fiercely struck volley by Gus Poyet to squirm through his grasp in the final seconds of the four minutes added for stoppages. And, in the process, scrubbed the icing off the passion cake for Campbell and Arsenal.

In truth, it was perhaps no less than Spurs deserved, if only for their most spirited and sustained response to the trauma of the 81st-minute reverse inflicted by Robert Pires.

Campbell was required to stand even taller during that period and would have aggravated Tottenham feelings towards him by producing undoubtedly this most impressive performance to date in the shirt of their bitterest rivals.

Strongman Sol asserted his determined authority from the very first minute with a crunching tackle on Les Ferdinand and did not waver from then on in with highly combative tussles with the equally committed Sheringham.

Even so, Tottenham threatened the initial breakthrough when Dean Richards, Campbell's £8million replacement, met a Christian Ziege corner only for the bludgeoning header to crash off the underside of the crossbar before being hastily cleared.

Ferdinand, too, troubled Arsenal with his aerial prowess and, two minutes before the break, powered the ball past Wright only for referee Jeff Winter to insist there had been an infringement.

There was no let-up in the pulsating action. Gilles Grimandi brought a brilliant save from Spurs' Neil Sullivan, and Wright matched it with a superb one-handed deflection to a Poyet effort when he appeared to have been caught moving in the wrong direction.

It was very much tit-for-tat until Pires produced the outstanding individual contribution of the entire proceedings.

The French international moved with poise and menace through the middle before dispatching a 25-yard shot that Sullivan could only help into the far corner.

As is customary on such committed occasions, there was plenty of action to follow.

The alertness of Campbell denied Sheringham a clear chance on one occasion and the gallant Wright countered a powerful header from Richards, by now employed totally at the forefront of Tottenham's rescue mission.

Even so, it required further sparkling resistance from Sullivan to prevent Ray Parlour putting the issue beyond doubt for Arsenal. But it was so near yet so far for Arsenal, with manager Arsene Wenger shaking his fist in exasperation at the finish when Wright allowed Spurs the courtesy of honours even.

At least the volume of derision targeted at Campbell had been reduced to a whimper. The new Arsenal man had no fear in demonstrating where his loyalties now lie in striding purposefully to salute the Arsenal fans at the finish.

Hoddle made the point of a public demonstration of his affection for the player he at least managed at England level with a firm handshake and warm hug.

Hardly the perfect day, maybe, for Campbell - but every bit as good as he might reasonably have expected.