Arsenal v Manchester United is always one of the most mouth-watering fixtures in the Premier League calendar, thanks to its rich history of epic matches and the huge rivalry between the teams.
Ahead of this weekend’s latest chapter, we have taken a look back at six of the best wins we’ve claimed at the Red Devils’ expense in north London that are sure to whet any Gooner’s appetite for the big game.
Take a trip down memory lane with these classics:
May 6, 1991
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
After Liverpool had slipped up earlier in the day to hand us the First Division title, George Graham’s Gunners extended the celebrations by beating United with Alan Smith grabbing a hat-trick to boost his Golden Boot chances.
His first arrived on 19 minutes when he tucked home a Lee Dixon centre, and then on 41 minutes a powerful run from Kevin Campbell saw him tee up the striker to put us in command. When we won a penalty on 58 minutes, Dixon handed the duties to Smith to complete his treble, with Steve Bruce’s late spot-kick a minor footnote on a wonderful evening.
November 9, 1997
Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
In one of the all-time Premier League classics, we edged out the holders to highlight our own championship credentials. Just seven minutes in, Nicolas Anelka picked the perfect time to score his first Gunners goal with a near-post drive, before Patrick Vieira went one better with a wonderful blast from the edge of the box that dipped over Peter Schmeichel.
However United roared back as Teddy Sheringham netted twice in eight minutes to scramble his side level before the break, but seven minutes from time Nigel Winterburn’s outswinging corner was headed into the top corner by David Platt to win a pulsating game.
November 25, 2001
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
Fabien Barthez had an afternoon to forget as he gifted his international teammate Thierry Henry two goals to help us to victory. However, we were forced to do it the hard way when Paul Scholes scored the opener just eight minutes in, but after the break Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg combined for the Swede to brilliantly dink us level.
Then in the final 10 minutes, Barthez screwed a clearance straight into Henry’s path who rolled the ball past him, and five minutes later the keeper allowed a routine catch to slip under his body and hand Henry an open goal to wrap up the points.
January 21, 2007
Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
The 200th meeting between the clubs but the first at Emirates Stadium proved to be one to remember for all Gooners, as Henry once again carved his name into this fixture’s history.
The game burst into life in the second half when Wayne Rooney stooped to head in at the back post on 53 minutes, but with seven minutes to go substitute Robin van Persie fired home a Tomas Rosicky cross to get us level. That set the stage for Henry to head home an Emmanuel Eboue cross in stoppage time to give our new home its first dramatic moment.
October 4, 2015
Arsenal 3-0 Manchester United
A devastating opening 19 minutes saw us blow the Red Devils away as Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil ran rampant. The duo combined after just five minutes when the German’s cutback was neatly backheeled in by the Chilean playmaker, and 74 seconds later Ozil got on the scoresheet when he tucked past David de Gea.
The game was virtually over as a contest when Sanchez picked up possession on the edge of the area, squeezed between Matteo Darmian and Juan Mata and blasted into the top corner, and things could have been even better had Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain not struck the bar in the second half as we kept pushing for a bigger scoreline.
January 22, 2023
Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
Last season saw the two teams serve up another classic as Eddie Nketiah popped up with a late winner to lift the roof off Emirates Stadium. Marcus Rashford’s shot from range had put Erik ten Hag’s team in front, but Nketiah ghosted into space to head home a Granit Xhaka cross to equalise before half-time.
Bukayo Saka fired in a Goal of the Month winner to put us ahead seven minutes after the restart, but not long after Lisandro Martinez nodded in to draw the visitors level. It looked as though the two sides would be forced to settle for a point, but in the 90th minute Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross was nudged on by Martin Odegaard, and Nketiah improvised to flick the ball in and clinch a memorable victory.
Watch more memorable moments against United, including another iconic win from the 1990s and perhaps Henry's best-ever strike, in our playlist
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