“We won the league, at S**** Hart Lane!”
It’s been 20 years since Arsenal’s Invincibles won the Premier League in the sweetest way as they were crowned champions at the home of their north London rivals, Tottenham.
Now, the Gunners are on the verge of being champions again, but will need a hand from their bitter enemies to do so.
If Spurs can somehow beat or at least draw with City then the title will be in Arsenal’s hands when they face Everton on the final day of the season.
In 2004, The Invincibles only needed a point to be confirmed as champions, and they were up against a Spurs side that finished 14th that season – so becoming champions at White Hart Lane was a real possibility.
Striker Thierry Henry said he and his teammates initially agreed to not celebrate in the ground if they sealed the title due to fears it could lead to chaotic scenes in the crowd.
However, when Robbie Keane’s stoppage-time penalty saw Spurs come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, the visitors had a change of heart.
At full-time, Henry jogged over to the pocket of jubilant Arsenal fans at White Hart Lane to celebrate their triumph – and the rest of the squad swiftly followed suit.
“We were asked: ‘Please, if you win the league, do not celebrate there.’ And, to be fair, everybody said ‘Okay, we understand, that’s going to create chaos.’
“I remember [Tottenham defender] Mauricio Taricco jumping around, and he got a cramp from it. He was jumping around and celebrating a draw – that’s their standard.
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“I looked at him and said: ‘Are you kidding me?’ He was going ‘yeaahhh’ jumping in front of me.
“I said: ‘Do you realise that we needed a point to be champions at your place?’ He was talking and I told him to watch me after the game.
“That’s the way it is, the game. If you act strong, be strong at the end. I remember everyone was saying we were not to celebrate and I said: ‘What?! I will celebrate and we will see how much it’s going to hurt them.’
“I had to celebrate, they were celebrating a draw and coming in front of me, jumping around like they won something.
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“So I said: ‘Okay, we were not supposed to celebrate but I’m now going to celebrate with my fans.’”
Now Tottenham are in a position to influence the title race. Arsenal fans are now Spurs fans for one night only and even the players are.
“I’m going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever on Tuesday. We all are going to be,” Kai Havertz said after Arsenal beat Man United 1-0 at a crumbling Old Trafford.
Club legend Paul Merson even said he’d be willing to get a Tottenham tattoo if it meant Arsenal were set up to win the league.
Their win against United was their 27th of the 2023/24 season and is already more than the Invincibles, who remained unbeaten for the 2003/04 campaign.
The last time the Arsenal faithful sang a collective ‘Come on You Spurs’ was in 1999 when they were hoping their rivals would beat Man United on the final day, which ultimately didn’t happen.
This time, though, against Manchester’s other team, they will be hoping for a different outcome.
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