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Arsenal 2-1 Leicester: Gunner history
Arsenal provided the perfect finale to the perfect season with a stirring second-half fightback to see off Leicester 2-1 to write their name into the history books.
What Preston North End had achieved before them back in 1888-89 in going through an entire league campaign unbeaten, so Arsenal's 'New Invincibles' duly emulated over 38 unforgettable games.
It was not without a few unexpected late additions to the script, with Leicester even seizing the lead against the run of play through former Arsenal striker Paul Dickov after just 26 minutes. Indeed, with Arsenal still trailing at the break, thoughts of Donald Bradman's duck in his final Test innings and Devon Loch's fall in the final straight of the Grand National sprung to mind. However, Arsenal displayed the resilient spirit which had carried them through 37 league games unbeaten as they mounted a determined second-half comeback. Thierry Henry steadied their nerves with a confidently-dispatched penalty, awarded by referee Paul Durkin in his final top-flight appearance, just two minutes after the restart. It was Henry's 30th league goal and while he has been Arsenal's main guiding light this season, it was left to their other main source of inspiration to secure their winner.
With 22 minutes left, captain Patrick Vieira capitalised on a magical through-ball by Dennis Bergkamp to beat Ian Walker and the rest, as they say, is now history. In a campaign which has seen just 24 points dropped, Arsenal may have allowed the Champions League and the FA Cup to slip through their grasp. But the title was won with four games to spare and their unbeaten achievement is a feat which will be remembered for many years to come. Arsenal had started confidently enough, although they were largely restricted to long-range efforts early on, as Walker tipped Henry's audacious 30-yard free-kick over the bar. Leicester were following the example of several sides at Highbury this season, including Birmingham two weeks earlier, in deploying a five-man midfield and suffocating the Arsenal supply lines. While Dickov was up front on his own, Marcus Bent was a tireless worker on the right flank, while Jamie Scowcroft attempted to provide an outlet down the left flank. There was still little warning of what was to come when Frank Sinclair embarked on a surging run on the counter-attack with 26 minutes gone. It was scarcely believable as he weaved his way past Vieira, cut inside and floated an inviting cross to the far post, where the diminutive Dickov was lurking to beat Jens Lehmann at the far post with a header. Wenger's side were at least shaken out of their sense of complacency and starting attacking with renewed vigour. Bergkamp scuffed two shots, while Walker parried Robert Pires' long-range effort and dived on the rebound just as Ljungberg was poised to pounce. The visitors were not wilting under the increasing pressure and their fans delighted in a prolonged spell of possession just before the break, as their team passed the ball to chants of 'ole' from the away end. Arsenal had nevertheless pulled themselves together just a few weeks earlier after trailing 2-1 at the break against Liverpool - and they did so again on this occasion. Bergkamp's lofted pass was brought down by Ashley Cole inside the penalty area and he was clumsily bundled to the ground by Sinclair. Durkin had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Henry stepped up to convert the penalty with a minimum of fuss as Walker dived the wrong way. Just four minutes later they could even have gone ahead as Bergkamp picked out Henry with a superb through-ball but the Frenchman squared a pass to Ljungberg instead of shooting and the Swede was crowded out. While Leicester's claims of handball against Gilberto on a rare counter-attack were ignored, the Gunners nevertheless remained patient. And it was entirely fitting that their second goal should come from a moment of pure inspiration from the peerless Bergkamp. The Dutchman, who has just earned a final one-year contract, bided his time before picking out the surging run of Vieira with an exquisite through-ball. Vieira's first touch took the ball past Walker and his second guided the ball into the empty net as Arsenal moved within sight of an unbeaten league season. While substitute keeper Danny Coyne denied Ljungberg in the final stages, the crowning moment of the afternoon came with just three minutes left. Martin Keown, making his final appearance for the club, came on to rapturous applause to qualify for his Premiership winner's medal. The Premiership trophy soon followed. The Champions League and the FA Cup may have escaped them, but this has truly been a season to remember for the Gunners. Wenger: My best title yet A proud Arsene Wenger paid tribute to his triumphant Arsenal players on Saturday. Wenger told Sky Sports Premiership Plus: 'I am so very proud. You can't believe it is possible [remaining unbeaten in a season] until you get there. 'I always had that dream and to fulfil it is marvellous. It is my third title and the best one. Not to lose is amazing.' The Frenchman added: 'We always want to improve, we always want to get better. I am confident this team is hungry for more.' Arsenal striker Thierry Henry saluted his team-mates for clinching 'our place in history'. He said: 'It has still not finally gone in yet. It may take 20 years for people to realise what we have done. We wanted to do something special and now we have done it is something more than amazing. 'It does not matter if someone does it again because we will be the first to have done it (in the modern era). That will go down in history. 'We must always remember that this season we were unbeatable'. He added: 'We showed our character and our quality right through the team right through the season.' Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira claimed the team would be 'remembered forever.' He said: 'I am proud to be captain. We have a very good dressing room and the players give 100% for the team. We are really strong as a team. 'We never set out to go unbeaten. Our intention was always just want to win. You never know how good you are until a season ends but this team will be remembered forever now. 'We are going to enjoy ourselves now and then come back and set our targets.' England defender Sol Campbell added: 'We have had a fantastic season. I don't think it (Arsenal's record) is going to be beaten for a very long time. 'It is tremendous. I am happy. There is more to come.' Dennis Bergkamp, when asked which of his title triumphs with Arsenal he had enjoyed the most, said: 'The last one is always the best one so this is definitely the best because we are unbeaten this season.' On his wonderfully incisive through-ball for Vieira's winning goal the Dutchman said: 'I think we needed something a little bit special because we were down in the first half but there is so much talent in this team, we know each other well. 'It is going to be difficult (to get better) but we will try.' Veteran defender Martin Keown, who came on late in his final game as an Arsenal player to make his 10th league appearance to guarantee him a winner's medal, admitted he could not have chosen a better way to bow out at Highbury. 'What a way to go. It is fantastic. The team has been brilliant. It is a shame to go but you have to do it,' he said. Midfielder Ray Parlour added: 'It is a fantastic day for everyone, not just the players but the staff, the supporters, and we want more than this. But to finish unbeaten is fantastic. 'With 10 minutes to go and being 2-1 up I thought we could do it! We went 1-0 down and you think it would spoil today but we came back.'
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