Flashback: Two decades on from 'the invincible' Arsenal's unbeaten record
Later, Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to 49 matches. Thanks to that, Arsenal were nicknamed ‘the Invincibles’. But how did Arsenal achieve this great feat?
Wenger's dream
Arsene Wenger, the legendary manager of Arsenal, led the Gunners for 22 seasons from 1996 to 2018. Wenger's Arsenal won the Premier League title for the first time in the 1997/1998 season. The Gunners dominated the league for the second time in the 2001/2002 season. During it, they did something unprecedented – they did not lose a single away match.
They only suffered three defeats during the season, all on their home ground at Highbury. Then, Wenger stated that playing at such a level suggests it is not impossible to go through the entire league season without a single defeat. At the beginning of the 1990s, for example, AC Milan achieved this in Serie A.
Wenger dreamed that his Arsenal could do the same.
In the following year, rivals Manchester United were in great form again, overpowering Arsenal and winning the title. The Gunners finished second in the Premier League with losses already coming in October.
But in the 2003/2004 season, Wenger's dream came true. Arsenal won their 13th league title without a single loss. They earned 90 points with 26 wins and 12 draws, and became ‘the Invincibles’.
The last club that managed the same in the English top-flight season was Preston North End in the very first year of the league's history (1888/1889).
However, only 22 matches were played in that season. And after Arsenal in 2003/2004, no other English club has repeated the feat.
Indispensable parts of the Invincibles squad
The cornerstones of Wenger's lineup behind this historic success included Jens Lehmann in goal, who came before the 2003/04 season from Borussia Dortmund as a replacement for David Seaman.
Kolo Toure, scouted by the Gunners in his homeland of Ivory Coast, complimented Sol Campbell in the heart of defence. Lauren and Ashley Cole were the full-backs.
The midfield belonged to Brazilian Gilberto Silva and the anchor, Frenchman Patrick Vieira. Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires provided the incisive wing play whilst Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry shone in attack.
Henry became the league's top scorer in the 2003/04 season with 30 goals - he netted 39 goals in all competitions.
Obstacles on the way to the record
Arsenal's unbeaten run stretched into the new 2004/2005 season. In the first gameweek, Arsenal won away to Everton 4–1. Next up was an attempt to equal Nottingham Forest's record from the 1970s in the aforementioned home match against Middlesbrough.
Henry opened the scoring with a beautiful lob over the goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. But the visiting team equalised just before the half-time break.
Right at the start of the second half, Middlesbrough added two more goals and Arsenal's invincibility suddenly seemed very fragile. The Gunners were down 3-1.
However, Arsenal did not lay down. Bergkamp immediately reduced the difference to a single goal, and Pires and Jose Antonio Reyes scored within seconds of each other to put their team in the lead.
Henry rounded off the scoring in the match with his second goal when the ball was served to him in front of the open goal by Pires.
Arsenal's unbeaten run was seriously threatened twice even during the previous title-winning campaign. In just the sixth game of the season back in September 2003, everything could have been different.
At Old Trafford against Manchester United, Dutch forward Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a penalty in injury time in a goalless draw.
Next, Arsenal had a fright during the North London derby against arch-rivals Tottenham in the 34th gameweek in April 2004. Arsenal already had a 2-0 lead, but in injury time, Spurs equalised to make it 2-2.
But, shortly afterwards the final whistle was blown. The draw also meant that Arsenal secured the title and could start celebrating.
The title celebration on the field of the hated enemy tasted sweet for the Gunners. Wenger praised his team for their success, telling the BBC: "We've been remarkably consistent, haven't lost a game and we have played stylish football. We have entertained people who just love football."
He was right. After the turnaround against Middlesbrough, Arsenal managed to extend their unbeaten streak by another seven games to the final number of 49. The first Premier League defeat came after 18 months in a match against Manchester United.
To complete a Premier League season without a single defeat is truly unique. Mourinho's Chelsea didn't achieve this, nor did Klopp's Liverpool, and so far neither Guardiola's Manchester City. Who will become the next Invincibles and when?
