MINUTES 1-15
We pick out a goal from every minute of our Premier League history, including some of the greatest in our history, as well some lesser-remembered strikes.
By Josh James
1
Theo Walcott
Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Arsenal
May 4, 2013
Our quickest-ever Premier League goal came just 20 seconds into our game at QPR near the end of the 2012/13 season, scored by Theo Walcott.
We kicked off that day, but Walcott hadn’t touched the ball until he ran onto a wonderfully weighted Mikel Arteta pass inside the area, and tucked home right-footed.
If the travelling fans thought it would open the floodgates though, they were disappointed. It turned out to be the only goal of the game, but the 1-0 win was crucial, extending our unbeaten run to eight games in the league.
And two weeks later we pipped Tottenham for Champions League qualification with a 1-0 win away to Newcastle United.
2
Tomas Rosicky
Tottenham HOTSPUR 0-1 Arsenal
March 16, 2014
This remains our earliest strike in a north London derby during the Premier League era, and what a fine goal it was.
Tomas Rosicky ran at the defence on the right wing, playing the ball into Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It bounced back into the path of the still advancing Rosicky, who unleashed a first-time rocket with his right foot, just inside the penalty area.
It flew past Hugo Lloris and into the top corner of the net. Again it proved to be the only goal of the game, and moved us within four points of Chelsea at the top of the table, with a game in hand.
“That’s in my collection of great goals,” Arsène Wenger beamed afterwards.
3
Patrick Vieira
Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal
April 25, 2004
One of the most famous Premier League goals of all, and another at the home of our north London neighbours.
Having been buoyed by the news before kick-off that Chelsea had lost 2-1 to Newcastle, we knew that the title was up for grabs, as long as we avoided defeat in the derby.
Any ideas Tottenham might have had of spoiling the party were wiped out in just the third minute. It actually all came from a Tottenham corner. Thierry Henry picked up a knock down just outside our own area, and sprinted forward.
He carried the ball into the Spurs half before releasing the overlapping Dennis Bergkamp on the left wing. His first-time low cross was perfect for the marauding Vieira, who slid in to make it 1-0.
It eventually finished 2-2, but a point was all we needed to clinch the league title at White Hart Lane. Again.
4
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR
Newcastle United 1-1 Arsenal
December 5, 2007
We travelled to St James Park in December 2007, still unbeaten in the Premier League and three points clear at the top, with a game in hand.
In just the fourth minute our situation got even better. Emmanuel Eboue sent in a cross from the right, and Emmanuel Adebayor, just inside the box, chested the ball down between two defenders before turning and volleying home past Shay Given.
It was the striker's ninth goal of the season, but wasn't enough for victory, as Steven Taylor levelled in the second half.
The 1-1 draw proved to be the last in our 15-game unbeaten start in the league, as we went down 2-1 away to Middlesbrough four days later.
5
Gabriel Magalhaes
Leicester City 0-2 Arsenal
October 30, 2021
This thumping header from our Brazilian defender set up an excellent win at the King Power Stadium during the 2021/22 season.
Bukayo Saka's perfect inswinging corner was met powerfully by the head of Gabriel, who rose above the home defence to plant home.
It set us on our way to an excellent 2-0 win against the Foxes and was our fourth goal from a corner that season in the Premier League, more than we had managed in the whole of the previous campaign.
6
Alexis Sanchez
Arsenal 2-0 West Brom
April 21, 2016
Alexis Sanchez features twice on this list, and this is the first of two fine long-range efforts from the Chilean forward.
Receiving the ball 30 yards from goal from Aaron Ramsey, back to goal, he superbly turned his man to create space, drove forward, and then arrowed a low right-footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
From that moment on we were rarely in trouble against the Baggies, and it was Alexis himself who sealed the win, seven minutes before half-time.
He found the same bottom corner of the net, from a very similar position on the pitch, this time beating Ben Foster directly from a free-kick.
7
Nicolas Anelka
Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
November 9, 1997
Without a goal in our previous three league games, and with only one win against United in Premier League history to this point, the Gunners certainly weren't favourites as we welcomed the league leaders to Highbury.
But this cracking goal from 18-year-old striker Nicolas Anelka set the tone for what turned out to be a pivotal result in the 1997/98 double campaign.
The French striker was highly rated when he arrived from PSG the previous season, though he failed to score in his first 13 appearances. This was some way to introduce himself however.
There seemed to be little on when he picked up the ball just inside the area, but he shifted it onto his right foot then cracked home a fierce shot, beating Peter Schmeichel at his near post.
8
Robin van Persie
Arsenal 7-0 Everton
May 11, 2005
By now deposed as champions, we were at least looking to round off the home season on a high, hosting Everton at Highbury on a Wednesday night, 10 days before the FA Cup final.
And this wonderful goal, finished by a 21-year-old Robin van Persie, served to open the floodgates against an Everton side who had secured a top four-finish themselves already.
Edu won the ball in midfield, passed to Dennis Bergkamp who took out two defenders with a superb through-ball to van Persie inside the area, and he slid the ball home first time with his left foot in front of the Clock End.
It was our 80th league goal of the season, and six more would follow that night, as we secured a thumping win. It was a fitting way to mark our last-ever appearance in red and white at the famous old stadium.
9
Dennis Bergkamp
Leicester City 3-3 Arsenal
August 27, 1997
The first goal of one of the greatest hat-tricks of all time. With the penalty area packed and waiting for a David Platt delivery, the England midfielder deceived everyone by playing the ball instead to the lurking Dennis Bergkamp, outside the corner of the box.
He took a touch, and before the Leicester defence could react, looked up and curled his shot with power and accuracy into the top corner, leaving Kasey Keller rooted and helplessly beaten.
The Dutch master scored again just after the hour mark, before the hosts struck back twice to level. Bergkamp scored a glorious third to complete his hat-trick right at the death, only for the Foxes to score again and grab a point from an incredible game.
10
Abou Diaby
Arsenal 5-0 Derby County
September 22, 2007
We had made a flying start to the season, with seven wins and a draw from our first eight games, and this goal after just 10 minutes against Derby County at the Emirates lifted our spirits even more.
Abou Diaby picked up possession on the corner of the penalty area before cutting inside past one, then another defender.
Now 25 yards from goal, but on his right foot, he let fly with a thunderbolt into the top corner.
We would go on to win 5-0 that day, thanks to an Emmanuel Adebayor hat-trick. It was part of a 28-game unbeaten run in all competitions, the longest-ever in the club's history.
11
Dennis Bergkamp
Newcastle UNITED 0-2 Arsenal
March 2, 2002
Many have said this is simply the best Premier League goal of all time. Robert Pires slid a pass into Bergkamp inside the area, and the Dutchman's first touch took the ball past Nikos Dabizas as he spun away from the defender on the blind side.
Bergkamp completed his turn for the ball to drop back on his right foot, and he calmly but swiftly slotted the ball into the corner.
"This goal was more about instinct," Dennis said. "I thought about it and executed it at the same moment. As soon as the ball came to me I decided that I wanted to go round the defender, so I flicked it past him. I was already turning the other way so I thought that was the best way to go."
In 2017 this goal was voted as the best Premier League goal of all time, in a supporters' vote to mark 25 years of the competition.
12
Emile Smith Rowe
Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur
September 26, 2021
A goal straight out of Hale End. The Gunners made a blistering start to the north London derby at the Emirates, and this opening goal was no less than Mikel Arteta's men deserved.
Martin Odegaard brought the ball forward in midfield before finding Bukaya Saka on the right wing. His low cross into the middle was met perfectly by the right boot of Emile Smith Rowe, who fired in beyond Hugo Lloris first time to spark wild celebrations.
The Gunners went on to complete a comfortable 3-1 win, and Smith Rowe remarked afterwards: "It’s probably the best day of my life.
"I’ve always dreamt of this day to score for Arsenal against Tottenham. With my family here, it’s the best feeling ever."
13
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Arsenal 4-2 Leeds United
February 14, 2021
The first goal of Auba's first-ever Premier League hat-trick.
It began when Granit Xhaka passed to the striker outside the area, with four or five Leeds defenders between him and the goal.
He strode forward though, into the box, deceived his man with a couple of stepovers to move the ball onto his right foot, then caught the keeper Illan Meslier out with a snap low shot into the bottom corner.
Auba netted again on 41 and 47 minutes to complete a 34-minute hat-trick, setting us to a resounding 4-2 Valentine's Day victory behind closed doors at the Emirates.
14
Thierry Henry
Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur
November 16, 2002
It started with a Tottenham throw near our own corner flag. It ended 13 seconds later with Thierry Henry firing a low left-footed shot into the corner of the North Bank goal.
Only it didn't end there, because just as memorable as this incredible solo goal, was Henry's celebration afterwards. He sprinted back the length of the pitch to slide on his knees in front of the away fans (the moment is cast in bronze outside the Emirates should your memory ever fail you).
It was Patrick Vieira who can claim an assist for the goal, as he headed clear the Spurs throw inside his own box, for Henry to turn and run on to midway inside our own half. From then he ran and ran, deeper and deeper into Spurs territory.
Legend has it the instructions bellowed from the away team bench as Henry broke into the box were: "show him on his left!" Henry duly obliged to finish one of the great all-time derby goals.
15
Patrick Vieira
Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal
February 21, 2004
This was much about the pass as the finish. With the Gunners still unbeaten heading into the business end of the season, recently enrichened Chelsea were always going to prove tough opposition at Stamford Bridge, and it was the hosts who took the lead, after just 27 seconds, through Eidur Gudjohnsen.
But the moment of the match was our equaliser after a quarter of an hour. Patrick Vieira dispossessed Claude Makelele on the halfway line, and popped the ball off to Dennis Bergkamp. The captain continued his run forward, while Bergkamp assessed his options.
The Dutchman then bent an exquisite through-ball with the outside of his boot, right into the path of Vieira, who buried his shot past Neil Sullivan with a first-time left-footed pass, all without breaking stride.
Edu completed the turnaround later in the half to put us seven points clear at the top, and still unbeaten, 26 games into the Premier League season. Just 12 more to go…
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