Portsmouth had a 1–1 draw against Arsenal at Highbury, when Teddy Sheringham put Pompey ahead before half-time, before a foul on Arsenal's Robert Pires earned them a penalty, which was converted. This signalled the start of a run of 11-straight games without victory for Pompey. There were suggestions, backed by evidence from video replays on the ITV's "The Premiership", that Pires may have dived for the penalty, although he has always vehemently maintained his innocence. Nevertheless, this draw marked the first of a horrendous run of results that left the team odds on to be relegated in mid-March.