The date of April 25 is one that Arsenal fans will forever stay close to their hearts.
For similar reasons, Tottenham Hotspur fans have regularly tried to banish that opportunity 17 years ago from their own thoughts.
April 25, 2021 gives Spurs believers an opportunity to create some healthy and happier memories. Ryan Mason’s men face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, in an attempt to forget one of the most gut-wrenching and humiliating experiences a football fan can endure.
It was the day Arsenal came to White Hart Lane and won the Premier League trophy in enemy territory.
The year was 2004, and the Gunners were on the verge of a historic and unprecedented feat. Arsene Wenger’s side made the short journey across north London to face rival rivals Spurs on match day 34, ahead of the exciting prospect of winning the English top flight in their neighbors’ backyard.
They had also won 24 of their 33 matches before the derby and drawn the other nine, meaning they would not be beaten yet and on the verge of an unprecedented season. For Spurs, the task was clear: beat Arsenal, do not let them win the league at White Hart Lane and end their invincible run.
Of course, it was always easier said than done when you meet one of the biggest Premier League sides in the history of the competition.
One of the largest | ODD ANDERSEN / Getty Images
The afternoon started terribly for the hosts, as Thierry Henry decided he liked to win the league for the next 90 minutes. The Frenchman picked up the ball in midfield, haunted beyond a challenge and threaded a perfect pass to Dennis Bergkamp.
The Dutchman looked up, saw captain Patrick Vieira run into the middle of the box and then delivered. Vieira stretched out a long leg and did the rest. Shortly after, it was 2-0. Robert Pires began to dictate the game in the middle of the pitch, playing one-two and leaving Spurs chasing shadows.
Suddenly he moved through the gears and fed Bergkamp, who in turn split the defense to find Vieira in the box. He cut back the ball for the ongoing Pires, and the winger stroked home to round off a fantastic move and a goal worth winning a Premier League trophy.
? ⬜️ In the weekend of 2004, The Invincibles won @ Arsenal’s 13th league title with a 2-2 draw against @SpursOfficial at White Hart Lane.
The greatest Premier League side of all time? ? pic.twitter.com/mCbU0FNzId
– FOOTY.COM (@footydotcom_) April 24, 2021
However, it was not over yet. Jamie Redknapp spat a long-range strike in the bottom corner, and the hosts were sent into ecstasy when they received a penalty injury to level. Robbie Keane stepped up and fired in the top corner.
“It has to go down like one of the best days of my career – it was just amazing.”
– Patrick Vieira
Spurs supporters and players celebrated the last minute goal with great gusto, but in the end it was for nothing. With the only point, Arsenal won the Premier League title and remained undefeated in their quest to become invincible.
For Spurs, it was a lot about polishing the brass on the Titanic – an exercise in meaninglessness. Instead, they were forced to watch Arsenal players dance and frolic on their pitch and drew applause from their thousands of traveling supporters.
One man who especially liked the festivities was Henry. The talisman forward had been warned to tone down all parties at the final whistle and agreed, but once he got a bit of a bite out of Spurs players when the equalizer went in, he decided not to hold back.
“It was pretty weird because I remember we had orders from the police not to celebrate too much if we won the title there,” Henry told Sky Sports.
“In the name of justice, we all said we understood because it can go too far. We went up 2-0 then they came back. Jens Lehmann did what Jens Lehmann did sometimes. They came back into the game and made it 2-2
“They started celebrating like they won the league so I thought ‘wait, do they actually realize we only need one point to become champions? “
“Another special moment I can say was when we won the league at White Hart Lane, it was something very special.”
– Gilberto Silva
“I said to Ashley Cole at the last whistle, ‘now we’re going to celebrate.’
“We wanted to be humble at the beginning of the game but you want to celebrate a draw? Really? We only needed one point!
“We celebrated and the pictures are there to prove it now. It was always important to have the last laugh and the story will tell that we won the league on Lane, and by the way it was not the first time.”
