Arsenal stayed two points ahead of Tottenham in the race for a UEFA Cup place after the north London derby petered out into a goalless draw at Highbury.

Spurs boss Gerry Francis maintained his unbeaten record against Arsenal as a manager but his team have it all to do now to pip the Gunners for a place in Europe with just three games left.

Arsenal had enough chances to have buried their near neighbours before the interval but Paul Merson, who showed some scintillating skills, ruined his efforts with poor finishing twice clearing the cross-bar when first Dennis Bergkamp and then Ray Parlour set him up with golden opportunities.

After the break, Tottenham's 44-goal strike-pair Teddy Sheringham and Chris Armstrong also finished woefully with chances to give their side the points and in the end neither side deserved FA Carling Premiership victory in a match that was always passionate but rarely productive in terms of definitive skill.

Arsenal's Ian Wright had a frustrating match, tightly policed by returning Spurs skipper Gary Mabbutt but Arsenal's defence, with young Scott Marshall outstanding, also looked watertight and goalkeeper David Seaman had no serious save to make.

There were two bookings for each side and neither team could be criticised for lack of commitment as they were urged on by a 38,000-plus crowd in search of London's FA Carling Premiership pride.

A bonus for Spurs, however, was the introduction 12 minutes from time of England midfielder Darren Anderton, who made his first senior appearance since September following two major abdominal operations.

By then the game was slipping quietly away into a stalemate, although Anderton, welcomed back by a warm handshake from Arsenal's England skipper David Platt, soon found himself back in the real world with a crunching challenge from Andy Linighan.

Arsenal were left to rue Merson's first half misses and also one by full-back Nigel Winterburn, who jabbed an eight yard shot wide after a blunder in his own penalty box by Ruel Fox.

It was not until the closing minutes of the game when Arsenal seriously threatened again Bergkamp making goalkeeper Ian Walker go full stretch to tip over a cheeky chip from a 30 yard free-kick and Wright heading grotesquely wide when Parlour's cross found him unmarked right at the death.

Arsenal: (3-4-2-1) Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Linighan, Winterburn, Merson (Helder, 72), Marshall, Platt, Wright, Parlour, Bergkamp.

Subs not used: Hartson, Rose.

Booked: Bergkamp, Parlour.

Tottenham: (4-4-2) Walker, Edinburgh, Mabbutt, Campbell (Nethercott, 72), Wilson, Fox, Howells, Dozzell (Anderton, 78), Rosenthal, Sheringham, Armstrong.

Subs not used: Day.

Booked: Edinburgh, Dozzell.

Attendance: 38,273.

Referee: M Reed (Birmingham).