‘Play like the stars of 2002’

IN CLASSIC Martin Tyler style, as Sylvain Wiltord stole in with a goal to clinch Arsenal’s title at Old Trafford, the Sky Sports commentator had bellowed, “Wiltooooooord!”.

He would famously repeat that roar years later, with “Aguerooooooo!” – when Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp goal delivered Manchester City a title.

But unlike at the Etihad, there had been no 11th-hour drama for the Gunners when they secured their 2001-02 championship with a win against Manchester United – they’d done it with a game to spare.

A momentous occasion all the same, and ingrained in the memory of Gunners midfielder Ray Parlour, who was named man of the match.

Parlour said: “It was probably the best week of my life in football.

“First scoring in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea and then winning at Old Trafford.

“You can imagine Sir Alex Ferguson saying to his players, ‘Don’t let them win the league here’. We were United’s biggest rivals. There was a determination to stop us winning it.

“We just took our chance when it came and were able to hold on.”

A banner unfurled amongst the travelling Arsenal fans said it all: ‘Old Trafford, Champions Section’.

It came after striker Wiltord (above) followed up a Freddie Ljungberg shot pushed out by Fabian Barthez for the only goal of the game to clinch a League and FA Cup double.

Fast forward 22 years, and for Mikel Arteta’s side nothing less than a repeat of that victory will suffice in their title battle with Manchester City.

Defender Martin Keown, United’s kryptonite that day in 2002, added: “When Arsenal were winning titles in 1998, 2002 and 2004 those players were the best I ever worked with.

“If I could show today’s players one game it would be that victory over United – won by grafting, scrapping, getting back into position so early United could not even think about going forward. We were ruthless.”