1997–98 Arsenal F.C. season
The 1997–98 season was Arsenal Football Club's sixth season in the Premier League and their 72nd consecutive season in the top flight of English football. In Arsène Wenger's first full season at the club, the Gunners won the league title for the first time in seven years. At Wembley Stadium, they beat Newcastle United 2–0 in the 1998 FA Cup Final to win the competition for the first time since 1993 and complete a domestic double – the second in the club's history and the first since 1970–71. Arsenal exited the League Cup in the semi-finals to Chelsea and lost on aggregate score to PAOK in the UEFA Cup first round.
1997–98 season | |||
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Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood | ||
Manager | Arsène Wenger | ||
Stadium | Highbury | ||
Premier League | 1st | ||
FA Cup | Winners | ||
Football League Cup | Semi-finals | ||
UEFA Cup | First round | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Dennis Bergkamp (16) All: Dennis Bergkamp (22) | ||
Highest home attendance | 38,269 (vs Everton, 3 May) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 37,164 (vs Crystal Palace, 15 February) | ||
Average home league attendance | 37,277 | ||
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In the transfer window, Arsenal purchased several players, including midfielders Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit and goalkeeper Alex Manninger; English midfielder Paul Merson departed to join Middlesbrough. Arsenal began the league season relatively well, but a run of three defeats in four matches between November and December 1997 left the team in sixth position before Christmas, and seemingly out of championship contention. Although they were 12 points behind reigning champions Manchester United at the end of February, a winning streak of ten matches ensured Arsenal won the championship with a 4–0 win over Everton on 3 May 1998.
In recognition of the team's achievement, Wenger was awarded the Carling Manager of the Year award and striker Dennis Bergkamp was given the accolade of PFA Players' Player of the Year by his fellow peers and FWA Footballer of the Year by football writers.