Arsenal

When Arsenal clinched their third Premiership title, in five years, 2003–04, the club that 
had set numerous records on their way to that triumph, saved the most awesome 
achievement until the final day when they became the first team since Preston North End, 
in 1889, to go through an entire top flight season unbeaten. That has to be in capitals 
because The Gunners justifiably joined the immortals of football history in becoming the 
first Premiership team to have 0 in the losses column. The fact that they set another 
record, becoming the first side to claim the title, unbeaten, with four games to go was yet 
another record. No team, in the history of world football, has ever remained unbeaten in a 
38-match League programme

Ironically, Premier League founder members Arsenal began that membership with one of 
their heaviest defeats, 4–2 at home to Norwich. But, after defeat in half of their opening 
eight fixtures, Arsenal won six consecutive games to top the table by November. It was 
the only time they topped the Premiership in that inaugural season and they finished 10th.

The next campaign, thanks to Ian Wright’s goals and the legendary ‘back-five’ defence of 
Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Bould and Adams, the Premier League’s best defence ensured 
Arsenal’s fourth place finish.

Losing Tony Adams, to an Achilles operation, for two months, hindered the following 
campaign and Arsenal finished in mid-table.

Bruce Rioch, appointed to succeed the disgraced George Graham, began his short Highbury 
tenure in June 1995 and whilst his reign isn’t fondly recalled by Arsenal fans it was 
significant for the signing of Dennis Bergkamp, who was to prove the catalyst for future 
success, post-Rioch. The Dutch Master’s 11 goals, allied to 15 from Ian Wright, pushed 
Arsenal to their second-best Premiership finish, fifth.

Following the departure of Rioch the appointment of Arsene Wenger paid immediate 
dividends and with Ian Wright, 23, and Dennis Bergkamp, 12, contributing more than half 
of their goals total The Gunners posted a best-ever Premier League finish, in third place, 
just behind runners-up, Newcastle, on goal difference.

Early signs in 1997–98 hinted at a first championship, as the team went 12 games 
unbeaten and dropped just 12 points in that run. But three November defeats, all without 
scoring, dropped the team from first to fifth. But Wenger stabilised the ship and after 
victory over Newcastle, then defeat by Blackburn, The Gunners went on an unbeaten run 
of 18 games, including a sequence of 10 consecutive victories, the last of them a 
title-clinching victory over Everton, capped by a Tony Adams wonder-goal.

The following season Arsenal were never out of the top three, after February, and were 
unbeaten from 13 December but they suffered a crucial defeat, in the penultimate fixture, 
at Leeds. That said Manchester United lost just once in their last 24 games, the unbeaten 
run covering the final 20 matches, as they pipped The Gunners, in one of the tightest 
championship finishes, by just a single point. Though there was a moral victory for Arsenal, 
who took four points out of Fergie’s team. The significance of too many draws, half of the 
season’s total in the opening 16 games, wasn’t lost on Arsene Wenger but neither was the 
legendary defensive meanness with 23 clean sheets and a Premiership record of just 17 
goals conceded in 38 games.

Arsenal were unable to retain their title the following season as The Gunners found 
Manchester United, without FA Cup action, too strong and had to settle for second place 
but the big plus for Arsenal was the settling-in of Thierry Henry, who scored in seven 
consecutive fixtures on his way to a total of 17 Premiership goals.

Henry repeated that tally the following season and Arsenal went top, in the first month 
but, despite only dipping out of the top two briefly, in January, The Gunners suffered a 
significant 6–1 defeat at Old Trafford in February. Five games later they virtually handed 
United the title when own goals by Edu and Silvinho ensured a first home defeat, to 
Middlesbrough.

Arsenal ensured there was no repeat in 2001–02 as they swept records aside on their 
way to ‘the double’. Thirteen consecutive wins, unbeaten away from home and scoring in 
every single Premiership fixture and suffering their final defeat of the campaign, in 
December. The key to that season’s success was balanced squad rotation by Arsene 
Wenger. Resting key players at the right time proved as crucial as the squad’s acceptance 
of such necessity.

Once again Arsenal were unable to retain their crown, despite being top of the table for 
most of the season. A run of nine unbeaten games saw The Gunners top in mid-October 
but defeat by Everton then Blackburn dropped the side to second. They recovered pole 
position with victory in the North London derby and stayed there until the significant 2–2 
draw at Old Trafford on 16 April. The Gunners only lost one of their last six games but the 
defeat by Leeds, due to a late Mark Viduka goal, proved decisive and Arsenal finished five 
points behind Manchester United.

Throughout another record-breaking season, 2003–04, Arsene Wenger preached his 
players had learnt from their capitulation the season before. His players proved it on the 
field where their stunning football was often from another dimension as they stunned 
Premier opponents with breathtaking play. Arsene Wenger, who had inherited a legendary 
defence when he became manager, succeeded in galvanising the work ethic with the 
undoubted flair of his foreign imports and the cocktail was explosively potent as the title 
was secured with four games to go.

With all of football willing them to invincibility The Gunners came back from a goal down to 
beat relegated Leicester, on the final day of 2003–04, Arsenal’s immortality was assured.

Managers

George Graham          1986–1995

Bruce Rioch               1995–1996

Arsene Wenger          September 1996–