March–May 1988–89 Arsenal F.C. season

tony adams target of jibes opposition fans throughout season. daily mirror page depicted him donkey after match in april 1989.

arsenal s limitations laid bare @ home nottingham forest beaten 3–1. clough s team, supreme masters of counter-attack , produced first-half performance of quality , hit hosts on break score 3 times. arsenal s form dipped drew 2–2 charlton athletic, leaving 11 points behind liverpool had 3 games in hand. davis returned line-up third league start since october, , made noticeable difference, restor[ing] arsenal s confidence , gave attack imagination. put arsenal 2–1 in match, charlton equalised when steve mackenzie raced penalty area , right unleashed shot bobbled on lukic.

consecutive away fixtures brought mixed results; arsenal beat southampton 3–1 before drawing one-all @ old trafford against manchester united. adams, target jeers crowd, had scored @ both ends. day after game saw picture of himself on page of daily mirror donkey ears. jibes affected adams privately, later recollected how motivated him play better. arsenal strengthened position @ top of table 4 straight wins, conceding no goals. lee dixon , niall quinn each scored against everton , team beat newcastle united single goal. nervous performance , hardly stuff of potential champions, reflected narrow scoreline, though team did create notable chances throughout game. richardson , marwood denied last-ditch tackles, interventions , goalkeeping saves.

arsenal turned on style against norwich city few weeks later, recording biggest win of season. smith, thomas, rocastle , nigel winterburn on scoresheet , 5–0 victory opened six-point gap @ top of table. guardian correspondent david lacey opined combination play between smith , merson crucial arsenal s momentum rocastle s athleticism down right. martin hayes made rare start arsenal , crucially scored winner against middlesbrough, relegating north-east side. absence of davis, out injury, felt arsenal unexpectedly lost @ home derby county. in final home match of season arsenal held 2–2 draw wimbledon, paving way liverpool leapfrog them first place , move 3 points clear. 1 game remaining, arsenal s title chances over.

title decider


anfield (pictured in 2009) setting final league game of season, between arsenal , liverpool.

arsenal s final match of league season – against liverpool, scheduled month earlier, events @ hillsborough, saw 96 of liverpool s supporters crushed death in stadium disaster, meant game postponed , rearranged. time fixture drew ever closer, both clubs close enough on points act title decider; odds against arsenal had not won @ anfield in 15 years. liverpool had not lost 2 goals – margin arsenal required win championship – in 3 years.

the game took place on friday evening , televised national audience of on 12 million. graham made slight adjustment team s formation, bringing david o leary in play sweeper in five. thinking nullify liverpool s attacking threat , of first half, arsenal stemmed opponents usual passing game. in second half, smith scored, looked increasingly title remain @ anfield arsenal struggled increase lead. however, deep stoppage time, thomas evaded challenge steve nicol , raced penalty area, before slipping ball past advancing bruce grobbelaar make score 2–0. final whistle blown seconds later, ending arsenal s 18-year wait crowned league champions. described dramatic finish in 120-year history of english top flight bbc sport in 2008, title decider @ anfield generated interest in sport , events depicted in nick hornby s best-selling book fever pitch.