With the beginning of the 2024/25 Premier League season almost upon us, we’ve taken a look back at some of our favourite curtain raisers down the years.
To get yourself in the mood for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, August 17, enjoy our list below.
20 August 1994 - Arsenal 3-0 Manchester City
We kicked off the 1994/95 season with a fine win over City at Highbury, with Kevin Campbell grabbing our first goal just two minutes into the campaign after linking up with Paul Merson.
On 36 minutes the lead was doubled when Alan Smith's shot cannoned in off City's Michel Vonk after a mistake by goalkeeper Tony Coton, and then in the second half following Uwe Rosler's dismissal, Campbell turned provider to race down the right and pull back for Ian Wright to cap off a fine performance.
18 August 2001 - Middlesbrough 0-4 Arsenal
Thierry Henry volleyed us ahead on the brink of half-time, but the score remained 1-0 up until the 87th minute.
Then, Robert Pires scored from the penalty spot, before Dennis Bergkamp netted a brace to create a comfortable scoreline.
16 August 2003 - Arsenal 2-1 Everton
Sol Campbell was dismissed in the 25th minute for a professional foul, bringing down Thomas Gravesen just outside the area. But the depleted Gunners went ahead 10 minutes later. Thierry Henry's centre was blocked by Alan Stubbs' arm and the referee awarded a penalty. Henry kept his cool to tuck home past Richard Wright.
Gilberto should have scored 10 minutes later but he stumbled when well placed in front of goal, but we continued to push forward in the second half and were rewarded when Pires netted after a fine double save from our former 'keeper Wright. Henry’s long-range effort was pushed away by Wright, only to Vieira who forced another point blank save from the 'keeper. But this time Pires was on hand to knock the ball into the back of the net.
But, just as we seemed set to cruise home, Tomasz Radzinski thumped home a lifeline for Everton with six minutes left. Still the drama unfolded. Li Tie fouled Ray Parlour with three minutes left and received his second yellow card, as we kicked off the season with three points.
15 August 2004 - Everton 1-4 Arsenal
Our Invincibles continued their dominance into the 2004/05 campaign with this convincing win at Goodison, as Bergkamp once again got on the scoresheet when he arrowed in after 23 minutes, before Jose Antonio Reyes added a header before half-time.
Thierry Henry’s cross was then turned home by Freddie Ljungberg to virtually wrap up the points with 36 minutes remaining, and despite Lee Carsley pulling one back, Robert Pires would restore the three-goal cushion to ensure we equalled Nottingham Forest's 41-game unbeaten record.
14 August 2005 - Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United
We began our final campaign at Highbury with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over 10-man Newcastle.
The goals, a penalty from Thierry Henry and super near-post strike from substitute Robin van Persie, arrived in the last nine minutes. By that time Newcastle had played 50 minutes with a man short after Jermaine Jenas saw red for a challenge from behind on Gilberto.
12 August 2007 - Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
For 83 minutes of this edge-of-the-seat encounter it seemed like Arsène Wenger's side would be falling to a deeply disappointing defeat. After just 52 seconds David Healy pounced on to Jens Lehmann's slip to put Fulham ahead and, from then on, Emirates Stadium both enjoyed and endured their side's display.
With seven minutes left, the home side were chancing their arm to such an extent that Kolo Toure was trying to dribble into the area. His mazy run was halted illegally by Carlos Bocanegra and Van Persie rifled home the penalty.
Arsenal smelt victory and, with 15 seconds of normal time left, they got it. Cesc Fabregas lofted a ball to Alex Hleb in the area and he managed to hook home the winner.
15 August 2009 - Everton 1-6 Arsenal
Arsene Wenger’s players showed they meant business with an emphatic win on Merseyside.
Denilson curled in a sumptuous 25-yarder to get the ball rolling and Thomas Vermaelen marked a hugely impressive debut with a thumping header from Robin van Persie’s free-kick. William Gallas nodded in a third from close range as we took a stranglehold on the game before half-time.
Cesc Fabregas rounded off a classic counter-attack two minutes into the second half and added a fifth from long range before Eduardo tapped in late on to compound Everton woes.
15 August 2010 - Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Pepe Reina's last-minute own goal handed us a dramatic draw at Liverpool.
For the majority of the afternoon, it seemed this game would be decided by events either side of half time. Just before the whistle, Joe Cole was dismissed for scything down Laurent Koscielny near the corner flag. Just after the restart, David Ngog scored with a rasping drive at the near post.
Arsenal huffed and puffed in the second half but, thanks to a couple of incredible saves from Reina, their search for the equaliser seemed fruitless. However in the dying seconds, Marouane Chamakh beat the keeper to a left-wing cross. The ball ricocheted back off the post and the Spaniard could only fumble it into the corner of the net.
16 August 2014 - Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
Aaron Ramsey struck in injury time as we came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 and start the new Premier League season in style.
Arsenal were blunted before Brede Hangeland guided home from a corner on 35 minutes. But Laurent Koscielny met an Alexis Sanchez free-kick with a deft flick to equalise in first-half injury time.
Seconds after Jason Puncheon had been sent off in the 89th minute, Arsenal won a corner. Palace lost a little concentration and Ramsey profited.
11 August 2017 - Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City
Olivier Giroud headed a dramatic late winner as we came from behind to win a seven-goal thriller.
Alex Lacazette made a dream start to his Premier League career with a perfect header into the bottom corner after just 94 seconds from a measured Mohamed Elneny cross.
Shinji Okazaki nodded in from close range after Harry Maguire kept the ball alive with a header across goal, and Jamie Vardy converted Marc Albrighton’s cross after we lost possession in our own half.
Danny Welbeck kept his head in front of goal to bundle in an equaliser on the stroke of half-time after good work from Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac, but Vardy restored Leicester’s lead with a header from a corner.
We turned it around in a frantic last 10 minutes. Aaron Ramsey hauled us level with a firm finish from Granit Xhaka’s delightful pass, and Giroud shrugged off his marker to power a header in off the crossbar.
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