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 beat Chelsea to open up a seven-point gap at the top of the Premier League, took a first-leg lead at Celta Vigo in the Champions League and confirmed we would be moving into a new stadium as things went from strength to strength on and off the pitch ahead of the visit of high-flying Charlton Athletic.
Setting the scene
The victory against the Blues was our sixth in a row in the league which had propelled us to top spot and opened up a healthy gap over Manchester United and Chelsea, but after our exploits in Spain we had just four days to prepare for our next challenge.
One side holding dreams of similar Champions League nights of their own were Charlton, but after Scott Parker had become the latest big-money Roman Abramovich capture at Chelsea, three defeats in the Addicks' subsequent four matches had harmed their chances of a first-ever taste of European football.
Wenger’s words
Despite the gap between us and our title rivals getting wider by the week, Wenger was adamant nothing had been decided yet: “I’m not surprised people are writing off Chelsea and even Manchester United so early this season, but that doesn't mean I agree with it,” he said. “We live in a society of instant judgement but life shouldn't be like that. We just try to ignore all of those early conclusions and we haven't written either team out of it.
“It is dangerous to listen to that, we just have to take care of our own performances. Both teams are capable of going on a run, and of course they could still get 90 points this season. I have to say I don't think both teams will do it, but one of them certainly could.
“At the moment we have a seven-point lead but everybody knows how fragile football can be. I would describe my mood at the moment as optimistic because the team set themselves high standards and they always look at the quality of their game. They do not hide from anything, they do their best and are demanding of themselves.”
From the dressing room
Robert Pires was on the brink of hitting a Gunners milestone, and he was hopeful his 50th goal for the club would arrive sooner rather than later: “It's important to have scored 49 goals for a club like Arsenal. If today I can score my 50th in front of a Highbury crowd I would be very proud," he told the matchday programme.
“As an attacking midfielder, you are asked to defend as well as attack, even if I don't defend particularly well, I try my best. The reason I have nearly scored 50 goals is because when Arsenal attack I am always there trying to score.
“I would love to play in the new stadium! The chance to play in front of 60,000 spectators is a fantastic one. My contract finishes in June 2006 and the ball is in Arsenal's court. I am open to all propositions!’
On the pitch
GAME 27: ARSENAL 2-1 CHARLTON
February 28, 2004
We went nine points clear at the top of the Premier League after a narrow 2-1 victory over Charlton, despite scoring both our goals in the opening four minutes.
Not even 100 seconds had elapsed before Pires was celebrating hitting a half-tonne when he tapped home from a couple of yards out after Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry linked up to put the ball on a plate for the French winger.
Then his compatriot Henry got in on the act straight after when Patrick Vieira’s pinpoint pass allowed him to control and shoot beyond Dean Kiely in the Addicks goal as we threatened to run riot.
However Charlton played well and their top-five position had been justifiably reached with some enterprising football, and after the visitors rallied, they replied just before the hour when Claus Jensen's free-kick kissed a post on its way past a helpless Jens Lehmann.
That set up a tense finale and Jonathan Johansson cracked a shot against the upright in injury time with an overhead kick, however, we deservedly held onto the three points that would prove crucial after Manchester United's draw at Fulham, allowing us to increase our advantage at the division’s summit.
It also marked 300 days since we were last beaten in Premier League action, but there were still 11 games to navigate if we were to achieve a historic unbeaten season.
Line-up: Lehmann, Lauren, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg (Gilberto 74), Vieira, Edu, Pires (Cygan 88), Bergkamp (Reyes 74), Henry. Subs not used: Taylor, Kanu.
Where we stood
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Arsenal | 27 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 53 | 18 | 67 |
| Chelsea | 27 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 48 | 21 | 58 |
| Man Utd | 27 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 51 | 25 | 58 |
| Newcastle | 27 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 38 | 28 | 42 |
| Charlton | 27 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 34 | 40 |
What the press said
"On a chilly, grey and totally captivating afternoon in north London, Arsenal's championship moved into enticing focus." - Sunday Express
"For half an hour or more, beginning with a two-goal burst that must have taken Charlton to the brink of despair, Arsenal played football as accomplished as you could wish to see, football upon which no team in the world could have greatly improved, football that would have had the Bernabeu purring with pleasure." - Sunday Telegraph
"On and on they go, in barnstorming pursuit of glory on all fronts.” - Sunday Times
Elsewhere this week
Jose Antonio Reyes was awarded the FA Cup Player of the Round award after his match-winning performance against Chelsea earlier in the month.
The reserves won 3-0 against Leicester City at Barnet, with Jeremie Aliadiere continuing his comeback from injury with another goal, with John Spicer and Justin Hoyte also on target.
Lehmann and Kolo Toure headed to Regents Park to take part in a training session for competition winners to promote the availability of open spaces in London.
Image of the week
Acclaimed movie director Spike Lee poses with Wenger and Henry following the Charlton victory, after the Gunners supporter had paid a visit to his beloved Highbury.
Watching Wenger’s men in action was one of the hottest tickets in town, and a host of Hollywood stars of the time had also been spotted in the stands within the previous year, including Freddie Prinze Jr, Kevin Costner and Owen Wilson.
UK number ones
Official Top 40: Who’s David - Busted
Album chart: Feels Like Home - Norah Jones (second week at no. 1)
Box office: Along Came Polly
In the news this week
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wins Best Picture, Best Director and all nine other Oscars that it was nominated for, a tie for the most ever won by a single film.
Having defeated us in the semi-finals, Middlesbrough won their first-ever trophy by beating Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium.
NASA announced that its Mars rover Opportunity found evidence that the Red Planet was once wet enough for life to exist there.
Find out what happened next as we went to Ewood Park looking to maintain our healthy lead
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