This week’s big fixture in the Premier League is the North West London Derby as Arsenal takes on Chelsea on the Second Matchday of the season. The fierce rivals have been battling it out for decades now and we look back at the top 10 most iconic moments between Arsenal and Chelsea over the years.
1) MOURINHO THRASHES WENGER (2014)
Hands down one of the most memorable games for any Chelsea fan out there as they beat Arsenal 6-0 in the business end of the league. But what made this thrashing even more embarrassing for the Gunners is that this was Arsene Wenger’s 1000’th game in charge. Chelsea made the day historical for all the wrong reasons for Arsenal. Arsenal were down 3 goals by the 17th minute itself and the suffering only continued for the away fans. After the game, Mourinho quoted, “We came to kill and in 10 minutes, we destroyed.”
2) FA CUP FINAL (2002)
Game, set & match.
Ljungberg seals the 2002 #FACup Final for @Arsenal 🏆
Happy birthday, @freddie! pic.twitter.com/O0ZLA5UreX
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 16, 2020
Arsenal have had a great record in FA Cups since they have won 14 of them throughout history. This was the first time both teams faced each other in the final game of the tournament and the stakes were as high as they could be. It was a close run affair but Arsenal were the ones who got the opening goal thanks to a strike from 25 yards from the goal by Ray Parlour. The game ended 2-0 and the Gunners also went on to win the Premier League that season making it a domestic double for Arsene Wenger and Co.
3) ANCELOTTI’S DOMINANCE(2009)
This was the biggest game Chelsea had played after Ancelotti took charge of Stamford Bridge earlier that season which is why the game was crucial for the club. Chelsea went on to win the League and FA Cup that season but they marked their dominance through their game against Arsenal. Didier Drogba scored 2 goals that game along with an own goal by Vermalean making the final scoreline 0-3 at Emirates. The game gave them enough momentum throughout the campaign as they went onto win their first-ever Double.
4) WENGER GOT PHYSICAL (2014)
VIDEO: Arsene Wenger shoves Jose Mourinho as tensions rise at Stamford Bridge. http://t.co/1VeNFdVBc3 http://t.co/GoZh3ROcCc
— theScore (@theScore) October 5, 2014
Wenger and Mourinho are known to have their own rivalry going over the years but their fight was always through the game and not physical, until 2014. Wenger wasn’t happy with a rash tackle by Gary Cahill and wanted to give Mourinho a piece of his mind then and there. As Wenger got out of his managerial area to talk to Mourinho. When Mourinho too got out of his box, Wenger shoved Mourinho multiple times. The two veterans even had a heated conversation a few minutes later regarding the earlier incident. Chelsea went onto win the game 2-0 though.
5) CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL (2004)
Arsenal host Chelsea in the Premier League tonight 😍
Remember their #UCL quarter-final in 2004? pic.twitter.com/VyBwg22Rwc
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 3, 2018
Back then Arsenal were dubbed the ‘Invincibles’ due to their star-studded lineup. They went onto win the Premier League that season and if it weren’t for Chelsea, they would have lifted the Champions League trophy as well. The North London clubs tussled in the Quarter-Final and Chelsea were always the second favourites. After a 1-1 deadlock in the first leg, Chelsea and Arsenal continued their close battle in Emirates as well but sadly for the home fans, Wayne Bridge scored after a quick link-up play in the dying minutes of the game, booking a place in the Semi-Finals. Arguably one of the saddest days in Arsenal’s history.
6) VAN PERSIE’S HAT-TRICK (2011)
ON THIS DAY two years ago, Robin van Persie hit a hat-trick as @Arsenal beat @chelseafc 5-3 at Stamford Bridge pic.twitter.com/yZzDqTi37L
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 29, 2013
Robin Van Persie is one of the golden boys of Arsenal and he surely made his mark in the club’s history books when he scored a hat-trick against Chelsea in Stamford Bridge. The game finished 5-2 as he netted his 3rd goal in the 92nd minute hitting Chelsea when they were already looking down, Sadly for him, he will never be considered as a club legend since he joined Manchester United later in his career. This game acts as a reminder for Arsenal fans out there of the impact Van Persie had on their side in his time.
7) LEAGUE CUP FINAL (2007)
We beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium to lift the League Cup on this day in 2007! #CFC pic.twitter.com/pTyg2OkLfQ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 25, 2016
Arsene Wenger chose a comparatively younger squad for the fixture whereas Mourinho stuck with his regular starting 11. The game was level 1 gaol each by the end of the game but Drogba scored from a cross in the 84th minute taking the lead they were looking for. This game was iconic since the match ended with a brawl between Jon Obi Mikel, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure after a dodgy tackle made by an Arsenal player in stoppage time. Mourinho later said that the Gunners were being sore losers and it wasn’t his player’s fault. All three players were sent off but it didn’t matter since the game was pretty much won by Chelsea already.
8) A HISTORIC COMEBACK (1999)
75′: 2-0 😐
90′: 2-3 😱#OnThisDay in 1999, Nwankwo Kanu scored a hat-trick as Arsenal completed one of the all-time #PL comebacks! pic.twitter.com/QoDXtOfsVJ— Premier League (@premierleague) October 23, 2019
Chelsea were 2-0 up by the 52nd minute of the game and the home fans thought that they would surely coast through, however, Arsenal had other plans. Nwankwo Kanu scored a hat-trick in the last 15 minutes of the game leaving Stamford Bridge in complete silence. The last goal came in the 90th minute and is surely one of the greatest comebacks in English football. They also finished 1 spot higher than Chelsea that season which just makes the game more iconic.
9) FA CUP SEMI-FINAL (2009)
Chelsea had only played against Liverpool in a hard-fought battle 4 days before the fixture and hence were fatigued. Arsenal on the other hand were well rested and had been preparing for this fixture properly. All the pundits thought the Gunners had this in the bag especially after Walcott opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Chelsea got back on its feet and after scoring an equaliser before halftime, ended up scoring the winner in the 84th minute thanks to Drogba. Chelsea played Everton in the final and ultimately won the tournament despite all the odds being stacked against them.
10) EARLY DAYS OF ARSENE WENGER (1997)
This was only the second season of Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and the club went on to win their first League title this season. Earlier in September, they faced Chelsea which they won 3-2 away from home. Dennis Bergkamp scored 2 goals by the 60 minute mark but Chelsea equalised the next minute. Arsenal’s left-back, Winterburn scored from far upfield in the 89th minute, winning the 3 important points early on in the season.
