7) Sylvain Wiltord for Arsenal vs Manchester United, ‘01-02 Season
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The 2001-02 season was right at the peak of the Arsenal-Manchester United rivalry which defined the Premier League era of the late 90s and early noughties. In one of the hottest pursuits for the Premier League title, United were slated to host Arsenal and were required to beat their opponents to keep their title hopes mathematically alive in the teams’ penultimate games of the season.
Arsenal were playing without Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Tony Adams, all three of whom were nursing injuries, while United had to leave out Nicky Butt for the same reason. The game was a feisty physical battle, with a number of unpleasant and unnecessary tackles being exchanged. United were being outplayed on their home ground, though, because of the lack of van Nistelrooy’s cutting edge (the Dutchman had been left on the bench).
Relatively early in the second half, Arsenal broke forward with pace after dispossessing Mikael Silvestre near the half way line. Wiltord played through Ljungberg through, who uncorked a venomous shot that Barthez could only parry into the path of the advancing Wiltord, who turned the ball into an empty net. Following this goal, Arsenal promptly shut up shop for good, as the rest of the match passed uneventfully at either goalmouth. Arsenal were thus able to celebrate a league title win at the den of their bitterest opponents.
Arsenal’s Premier League campaign was the first in many years in which the champions scored in every game of the season. They also held the distinction of being undefeated in all away games.
