With Arsene Wenger having called time on his Arsenal career, we are asking which is the most memorable game in his 22 years at the club? Here are ten to chose from, and we invite you to cast your vote below.
Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal – March 14, 1998
Trailing United by nine points in pursuit of a first Premier League crown, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford needing a victory to stay in the race, and secure some crucial momentum ahead of the title run-in.
First-choice goalkeeper David Seaman was ruled out of the encounter, meaning rookie Alex Manninger started between the sticks. However, right on cue, Manninger kept United at bay with some fine saves, and, down the other end, Marc Overmars broke clear of the United backline before slotting past Peter Schmeichel to win in for the visitors.
The euphoric scenes in the away end were warranted, as Arsenal overturned the deficit United held to garner that first Premier League title under Wenger.
Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal – May 8, 2002
We look back at some of the classic battles between Arsenal and Manchester United over the years, ahead of their Super Sunday clash on Sky Sports.
Same result, same outcome. This time, though, Arsenal actually clinched the title at Old Trafford, with Sylvain Wiltord’s goal enough to pick up the three points, and give them an unassailable lead at the top of the table.
Arsenal in fact only needed a point, but were comfortably the better side. Wiltord’s goal, fired past Fabien Barthez was enough for the Gunners. Celebrating at Old Trafford would have felt all the more sweet having been so convincingly beaten to the title by United the previous season.
Inter Milan 1-5 Arsenal – November 25, 2003
Arsenal had opened their 2003/04 Champions League campaign in less than spectacular style, falling to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Hector Cuper’s Inter, before a subsequent stalemate against Lokomotiv Moscow and a defeat to Dynamo Kiev left their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
A slim victory over the latter reignited hopes, before Wenger’s men travelled to the San Siro at the tail end of November. Goals from Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg – either side of a Christian Vieri equaliser – set up a tense finale, but Henry’s second and one apiece from Edu and Robert Pires within the final ten minutes shocked the Italians.
Arsene Wenger described his relationship with Arsenal football club as a
Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal – May 15, 2004
Clinching the title at Old Trafford would take some topping, but Arsenal did just that by securing a third Premier League crown, en route to finishing the season unbeaten, at White Hart Lane, against the arch enemy.
The Invincibles were at their free-flowing best as they raced into a two-goal lead thanks to Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires, but Tottenham fought back, firstly through Jamie Redknapp and then Robbie Keane’s late penalty.
Spurs threw everything at Arsenal in search of that equaliser, but it never materialised, as the travelling Gunners enjoyed celebrating in the faces of the White Hart Lane masses.
Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal – October 24, 2004
This classic encounter was as memorable for the aftermath as for the action on the pitch.
United were determined to end Arsenal’s remarkable 49-match unbeaten league run, and tempers were fraught from the off. Ruud van Nistelrooy was fortunate to avoid a red card for a nasty challenge he was retrospectively banned for, while Rio Ferdinand also got away with a robust tackle on Freddie Ljungberg.
Arsenal were then further infuriated when Wayne Rooney won a second-half penalty, appearing to go down rather easily.
Van Nistelrooy converted before Rooney made it two late on. Tempers boiled over in the tunnel after the match, with the famous “Battle of the Buffet” shocking all in attendance. Cesc Fabregas later admitted to throwing a slice of pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson. Not a wise move.
Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal – February 21, 2006
Just two seasons later, Arsenal enjoyed their greatest European campaign in recent memory when they reached the showpiece final, but their defensive displays en route to reaching the final were perhaps key to their success.
Having not conceded in the four games prior to the first knockout round, the Gunners’ trip to the Spanish capital ended with a remarkable 1-0 win in the Bernabeu.
David Beckham and Ronaldo et al rained down efforts on stopper Jens Lehmann, but after Henry scored his 34th European goal for the club in typically magnificent manner, Arsenal’s defensive solidity prevailed.
Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal – May 17, 2006
Their league form failed to capture the imagination in the 2005/06 season as Arsenal finished not only fourth, but 15 points behind third-placed Liverpool; the fact they reached their first European final since 2000 proved something of a reprieve.
Despite Lehmann’s sending-off after just 18 minutes, for over an hour at the Stade de France, it looked like it would be Arsenal’s name etched onto the trophy thanks to Sol Campbell’s first-half header. 14 minutes from time, however, Barca made the one-man advantage count when Samuel Eto’o buried an effort from an extremely acute angle. And when Juliano Belletti’s effort hit the back of the net in similar circumstances four minutes later, heartbreakingly, the race was run for Wenger’s men.
Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal – April 21, 2009
Anfield played host to this abnormally high-scoring draw. With a title shot just a mere memory, for Arsenal it was a case of bolstering their top four hopes against one of the division’s form sides.
The match will be forever remembered for Andrey Arshavin’s four-goal haul for the Gunners. The Russian put the visitors in front nine minutes before the break, only to be pegged back by Fernando Torres’ goal, before Yossi Benayoun put the Reds in front for the first time.
Arshavin struck twice more before Torres made it 3-3 with 18 minutes to play. Arshavin thought he’d made sure of the victory in the last minute of normal time, celebrating by raising four fingers in elation and disbelief, before Benayoun popped up once more to conclude a thrilling encounter.
Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal – February 2, 2011
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger received a guard of honour from both sets of players ahead of his final game at the Emirates Stadium.
Relinquishing a lead is commonplace in football, but the sheer size of the lead Arsenal relinquished against Newcastle in this Premier League fixture at St James’ Park is almost unheard of.
Put ahead by Theo Walcott after just a minute, Johan Djourou doubled the lead inside 120 seconds and two goals from Robin van Persie had Wenger’s men coasting before half an hour had been played; Abou Diaby’s red card early in the second half seemed to turn the game.
Joey Barton netted a spot-kick double, alongside goals from Leon Best and a stunning leveller from Cheick Tiote to shock the Gunners and leave them four points adrift of eventual champions Manchester United.
Arsenal 3-2 Hull – May 17, 2014
Having not picked up any silverware for nine years, the pressure was on when Arsenal took on unfancied Hull in the 2014 FA Cup final. However, it looked as though Arsenal fans were in for further heartache as Hull raced into a 2-0 lead.
Nonetheless, goals from Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny took the game to extra time, before Aaron Ramsey netted the winner in the 109th minute.
The victory became Arsenal’s 11th FA Cup triumph, and went some way to appeasing disgruntled fans yearning for a return to former glories.
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