Each week, we'll reminisce about our incredible Invincible season 20 years on by looking back at what was going on at the club on and off the pitch, as well as remembering key news stories and the pop culture buzz at the time.
Last week, we demolished Middlesbrough 4-1 to cut the gap at the top of the table to a single point, and a trip to Aston Villa would give us a break from Boro who we were set to play twice more in successive cup matches.
Setting the scene
The day before we took to the field at Villa Park, Manchester United gave us a massive boost when they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at bottom-placed Wolves, opening the door for us to advance into pole position in the Premier League.
A draw against Villa would be enough to do so, but our opponents had found some form in the preceding weeks. They had lost just once in eight matches after a slow start to the campaign, in what was Gunners legend David O’Leary’s first season in charge of the Birmingham side.
Wenger’s words
Around this time, Arsene Wenger was asked what rules he would change in the game. "You would like more justice and that means video replay coming in - especially for goals,” he predicted. “If the referee has a doubt in his mind, he can say let's see it again and then you have a super referee in the stand who can watch it and say yes or no.
“It would give more credibility to the referee. What happens now is the referee gives a decision and the whole world can see it's the wrong one, and then he loses credibility.
"I would also like to see kick-ins instead of throw-ins. The throw-in is the only rule where you are supposed to have an advantage but you have one less player on the pitch. The ball is for you but you are down to 10 men and the opponent has 11. I think you have to give a better advantage to the team taking the throw."
From the dressing room
Having been given an earlier-than-expected taste of life as a Premier League player, 18-year-Gael Clichy was thrilled. "I thought that my first season here would be one where I learnt to adapt,” he said. “So to have the chance to play and to show what I could do was brilliant.
“Ashley's suspension gave me the chance to show what I could do and also what progress I need to make. With each match, I feel I have become a more confident, better player.
“I feel that my best position is the left side of midfield. When I play there I feel good because it allows me to push forward and play more offensively. I feel more liberated there."
On the pitch
GAME 22: ASTON VILLA 0-2 ARSENAL
January 18, 2004
We went top of the table after Thierry Henry cheekily sidefooted home a free-kick in the 28th minute while Villa were still preparing their wall, and then, seven minutes after the break, Olof Mellberg fouled Kanu in the area and Henry slammed home a second from the spot.
It was just reward for a professional performance at one of the league’s in-form teams. With Dennis Bergkamp (calf), Sylvain Wiltord (ankle) and Jeremie Aliadiere (knee) all injured, Wenger started with his only two fit first-team strikers - Kanu and Henry.
It was a fast, open game right from the kick-off. Kanu was the first player to really threaten in the 11th minute when his cut-back from the byline deflected off the legs of Mellberg and rebounded into the side-netting.
Three minutes later Freddie Ljungberg fed the ball back to Pires just outside the corner of the Villa area, and he put all his power into a volley. It sailed over Villa keeper Thomas Sorensen and looked like dipping under the bar before the big Dane thrust out a hand to tip it over.
We were now starting to ease through the gears. Pires' low drive from 25 yards forced Sorensen to save again, and then a flowing move ended with Henry's goalbound shot being blocked by an outstretched Villa foot. Marcus Allback then went close before we went ahead with Henry's quick free-kick.
Sorensen had to make a scrambling save from Henry a few minutes later but, apart from that, neither side threatened again before the break.
Henry kept his cool from the penalty spot on 53 minutes after Kanu was fouled in the box and we held on for a deserved three points.
Line-up: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Cygan, Cole, Ljungberg (Parlour 77), Gilberto, Vieira, Pires (Edu 77), Kanu (Toure 77), Henry. Subs not used: Stack, Keown.
Where we stood
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Arsenal | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 42 | 14 | 52 |
| Man Utd | 22 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 40 | 15 | 50 |
| Chelsea | 22 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 17 | 46 |
| Charlton | 22 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 31 | 23 | 37 |
| Liverpool | 21 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 31 | 23 | 32 |
What the press said
"Whether or not Arsenal got a leg up to the Premiership summit, in two-goal Thierry Henry they had a striker whose answer to a thick lip was to kick the opposition in the teeth." - Daily Mail
"Cheeky Boy Thierry Henry mugged Aston Villa as the Gunners extended their unbeaten run and shot back to the top of the Premiership." - Daily Star
"There are some games on the often-rocky course to a league title where you simply have to forget the pretty football and just dig in and ride your luck and grind out a result. This was such a game for Arsenal." - Daily Express
Elsewhere this week
Defender Moritz Volz moved to Fulham on a permanent deal. The German right-back made just two League Cup appearances for us but would establish himself at Craven Cottage. Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant extended his temporary stay at Leeds United, while Rami Shaaban joined West Ham United on loan for a month.
We suffered a 1-0 defeat at Highbury against Middlesbrough in the first leg of our League Cup semi-final, with Juninho’s goal beating a side featuring five youngsters. It was our first domestic loss of the campaign.
Our under-18s were knocked out of the FA Youth Cup at the fourth round stage after losing 2-0 at home to Southampton.
Image of the week
Not many managers would hand an academy prospect their first start in a semi-final, but that's exactly what Wenger entrusted Quincy Owusu-Abeyie with against Middlesbrough. He had come on as a sub twice during our run to the latter stages, and here he is pictured tussling with the late Ugo Ehiogu in the first leg.
Owusu-Abeyie would play 23 times for us in all competitions before joining Spartak Moscow in 2005. A nomadic career would follow where he played in seven different countries and represented Ghana at international level, and he is now an accomplished rapper.
UK number ones
Official Top 40: Mad World - Michael Andrews feat. Gary Jules (third week at no. 1)
Album chart: Friday’s Child - Will Young (second week at no. 1)
Box office: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (fourth week at no. 1)
In the news this week
London officially launched its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Their other rivals at this point were Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Madrid, New York City, Moscow, Leipzig, Istanbul and Havana.
NASA’s Spirit rover rolled onto Mars for the first time since the robot bounced down on the Red Planet nearly two weeks earlier.
The Nintendo DS was unveiled. It would go on to become the second-highest-selling video game console of all time, behind the PlayStation 2.
Find out what happened next as we dipped into the transfer market for a new striker ahead of a visit from Manchester City
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
