Two Stadiums Where Arsenal Were Crowned Champions!
As the Premier League season ticks into its final third, Gooners the world over still need to pinch themselves. Following the disappointment of last season, when Arsenal threw away a spot in the Champions League by losing two of their last three games, The Gunners are currently eight points clear of Manchester City in the title race with just ten games remaining. Oddschecker, which compares Premier League odds and offers, had made Pep Guardiola’s Blues the overwhelming favourites for the crown when the current season got underway, but as the campaign reaches its climax, the title is Arsenal’s to lose.
Wrapping up a first English top-flight crown in almost two decades won’t be easy. The Gunners have a number of difficult tests awaiting on the horizon. They have a title showdown against City at the Etihad on April 26th, before Chelsea visit the Emirates three days later. Those two games could make or break Arsenal’s season. But their last two title triumphs have come on enemy territory and against difficult opponents.
Here are the last two times The Gunners managed to clinch the Premier League title. Will they do it again in the weeks to come?
Invincibles Seal the Title at White Hart Lane
The only accomplishment more satisfying than winning the Premier League is securing the title in your biggest rivals’ backyard. That’s exactly what Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003/04 did when they wrapped up the crown with a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane. Heading into the North London Derby, Arsene Wenger’s men were miles clear of second-placed Chelsea and hadn’t lost all season. Following the Blues’ 3-2 defeat away at Aston Villa, the Gunners knew that all they needed was a point to secure the title at the home of Tottenham Hotspur.
Thierry Henry and co. knew how big of a deal such an achievement would be and they didn’t mess about. They raced into a two-goal lead with goals from Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires and, at half time, it looked like both the title and North London Derby bragging rights would be heading back to Highbury with the rest of the squad.
Unfortunately, those three points turned into just one courtesy of a heroic comeback from the hosts. Robbie Keane netted a 94th-minute penalty to earn a share of the spoils. But they couldn’t stop The Gunners from sealing the title on their patch, an achievement which is still rubbed in the face of their rivals until this very day.
“WILTOOOORD!”
Does anything else really need to be said? We could end this article right here and every Gooner would go to bed with a smile on their face. But we’ll go into further detail, because why wouldn’t we?
As the 2001/02 Premier League season entered its second half, Arsenal were locked in a three-way title fight with Liverpool and Manchester United. But, from February 10th onwards, The Gunners would do everything they could to ensure that it was them that secured the title ahead of their rivals from up north. Between then and the end of April, Arsene Wenger’s side reeled off 11 consecutive victories, leaving them far in front at the top of the league standings.
Heading into the penultimate game of the season against Manchester United, at Old Trafford of all places, Liverpool were out of the race for the title, while the Red Devils were five points adrift of the league leaders. As such, the hosts knew that nothing but a win would keep their title hopes alive heading into the final day, while Arsenal knew they had the chance to lift the title at the home of their biggest enemies at the time.
Arsenal and Manchester United’s rivalry from around the turn of the millennium has been well documented, and this clash would be one of the most iconic moments of the entire feud. Winning the title at Old Trafford was something that Wenger could dangle over his arch-nemesis Sir Alex Ferguson for years to come, and that is exactly what happened.
With the game finely poised at 0-0 shortly before the hour mark, it could have gone either way. However, Sylvain Wiltord managed to break away and feed Freddie Ljungberg the ball. The Swedish winger’s shot was parried by ‘keeper Fabien Barthez, straight into the path of his compatriot, Wiltord. The Frenchman made no mistake, sliding the ball underneath his international teammate and sealing the title for the Gunners.
We only have one complaint Sylvain… you celebrated the goal in the wrong corner!
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