Five greatest Premier League moments: Arsenal
As one of the most successful teams in Premier League history, Arsenal have had plenty of dramatic moments in the past 25 seasons.
Here we take a look back at some of their most iconic moments.
History in the making
Arsene Wenger was made to look a laughing stock at the end of the 2002-2003 season after claiming at the start of the campaign he believed the Gunners could go a whole season unbeaten.
Instead they let the title slip through their fingers and an embarrassing home defeat to struggling Leeds United handed Fergie’s Manchester United another title.
But 12 months on and Wenger was having the last laugh as the North London side capped off a truly remarkable season by beating already-relegated Leicester 2-1 courtesy of a Thierry Henry penalty and a Patrick Vieira strike.
The Foxes had threatened to spoil the biggest of parties when former Gunner Paul Dickov poked one past Jens Lehmann.
Yet there was to be no stopping Wenger’s men and they went down in history by lifting the title after going a whole season without a single defeat.
Old Trafford delight
Arsenal engaged in a ding-dong battle with Manchester United between 1997 and 2004, exchanging titles (and fights) in a ferocious seven years.
In 2001, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils ran-riot against a hapless Arsenal side – trouncing them 6-1 to show the divide in class between the two rivals.
Wenger, however, would have his revenge and, after rebuilding his aging defence with the addition of Sol Campbell from bitter rivals Tottenham, Arsenal returned to Old Trafford the following season knowing a win would give them the title.
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In a tense affair, United’s nemesis Freddie Ljungberg burst through the Red Devils backline and his strike was only parried by Fabien Barthez into the path of Sylvain Wiltord.
The utility striker nestled home to send the away end delirious and without first team regulars Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, Arsenal had snuck into Fergie’s back yard and snatched the title away from him.
Winning the league at White Hart Lane… again
To win the league at your closest rivals once must be gut-wrenching – as Arsenal did in 1971 – but to do it again must be unbearable.
Arsenal arrived at White Hart Lane knowing just a point would make them champions and against a floundering Spurs side, the task seemed a formality.
And that job was going to plan when a sumptuous move was rounded-off by Patrick Vieira and a ruthless Robert Pires strike gave Arsenal a 2-0 half-time lead.
But Spurs rallied and in an attempt to scupper the Arsenal party, pegged back the visitors with goals from Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Keane to draw 2-2.
The White Hart Lane faithful were delighted with the comeback but it was still not enough to stop Arsenal repeating their heroics from 33 years previously. The Gunners rushed over to their supporters to toast the finest of campaigns in their rivals stomping ground.
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‘It’s Tony Adams would you believe it?!’
Arsenal’s new manager Arsene Wenger was revolutionising English football, swapping beers for broccoli in the Gunners canteen and imprinting his own brand of football on the Premier League.
His first full season in charge resulted in the Gunners needing one more victory in their final home match of the season against Everton to hoist the Premier League title for the first time.
Everton had nothing to play for and Arsenal soon took advantage thanks to a Slavan Bilic own goal and a superb brace from Marc Overmars.
But perhaps the most poignant moment was Tony Adams’ galloping run down field before lashing the ball home to round off a 4-1 victory.
The Gunners veteran then raised his hand aloft as he basked in the glory of a first Premier League title. As Martin Tyler finely put it: “That, sums it all up.”
The end of an era
Arsenal’s time was coming to an end at Highbury as they prepared for a new life at the Emirates Stadium just down the road.
But the Gunners final match against Wigan Athletic had far greater meaning.
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Tottenham were on the cusp of usurping their bitter enemies and snatching a top four place away from Wenger’s side as they went to Upton Park knowing three points would guarantee a Champions League berth.
But Arsenal were not to be denied on one of their most historic days and Henry, the king of Highbury, brought the house down with a show-stopping hat-trick which he rounded off by kissing the Highbury turf.
That 4-2 win over the Latics, combined with an ‘under-the-weather’ Spurs losing to West Ham United, meant Arsenal had pipped their North London counterparts and could celebrate their memories at Highbury knowing Champions League football was secure.
