Arsene Wenger takes charge of one last game at Old Trafford with the Gunners on Sunday, and there have been plenty of memorable ones in the past
Getty1March 1998 – Overmars’ scream-inducing Old Trafford winner
Going into the game, champions United led Arsenal by nine points but having played an extra three games. Arsene Wenger, in his first full season at Highbury, knew his side would be landing a significant blow were they to win on Manchester soil.
And with 10 minutes remaining Marc Overmars slid home a now iconic goal, producing scenes of raw emotion in the away end as Arsenal fans began to believe a first title in seven years was within their grasp.
“If they win their games in hand they will go ahead of us, but they’ll start dropping points towards the end of the season, there’s no question about that,” Sir Alex Ferguson claimed afterwards.
Ferguson was wrong. The win at Old Trafford was the second of 10 straight successes for the Gunners, who would wrap up a first title under Wenger with two games to spare.AdvertisementGetty2April 1999 – Giggs' wonder goal
It might be easier to list the things this iconic FA Cup semi-final replay didn't have! David Beckham scored first but the pendulum seemed to have swung to Arsenal when Dennis Bergkamp equalised and Roy Keane was then sent off for a foul on Overmars.
In the dying seconds, Phil Neville brought down Ray Parlour for a penalty, prompting some United fans to head for the exits. But Peter Schmeichel brilliantly saved Bergkamp’s spot-kick to send the game into extra time.
Then came THAT Ryan Giggs goal as the Welsh wizard beat Patrick Vieira, Lee Dixon, Martin Keown and Tony Adams on a wonderful run before striking high past David Seaman and whipping off his shirt in frenzied jubilation.Getty3August 1999 – Keane at the double at Highbury
Freddie Ljungberg’s opening goal was just a taster in this clash as the growing disregard between the two clubs reared its head.
Keane broke through a gap to equalise, but moments later was involved in a flashpoint with Vieira in which the United skipper kicked out after playing a pass and the Frenchman responded with a head-butt. Jaap Stam then grabbed Vieira by the throat as both sets of players flooded in.
After referee Graham Poll decided no cards were warranted, Keane pounced on a deflected Giggs shot to net the winner, but there would still be time for late controversy as Keown’s apparent injury-time equaliser was ruled out for an infringement on Raimond van der Gouw.Getty4May 2002 – Wiltord wins the league in Manchester
Their Old Trafford victory in 1998 had felt like a league winner because of the momentum swing but four years on Arsenal would become champions for certain with another memorable 1-0 win.
In a game that was typically bad-tempered at times, with Phil Neville perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch after a particularly bad challenge on Sylvain Wiltord, it always felt like Arsene Wenger’s side were going to find the winner.
It came on 56 minutes, as Mikael Silvestre’s loose pass allowed Wiltord to break and play in Ljungberg. The Swede’s shot could only be parried by Fabien Barthez, and the French front man became the toast of north London by sliding home the rebound.