Gareth Messenger

On 25 April 2004, Arsenal drew 2-2 with Tottenham at White Hart Lane. The point they earned was enough to clinch the Premier League title with four matches remaining.

The Gunners were near the end of an incredible season, having gone undefeated in the league. They started the day on 81 points, nine clear of second-place Chelsea and with a game in hand. Playing in front of a crowd of over 35,000 at the home of their fierce derby rivals, Arsenal never looked in any danger of losing the title 16 years ago.

They went ahead after only three minutes, as Thierry Henry picked up the loose ball from a failed Spurs corner, sped down the pitch and fed it to Dennis Bergkamp. The Dutchman delivered a precise cross for captain Patrick Vieira, who provided the final touch that put the ball into the net. 

Bergkamp then started the attack for Arsenal's second goal in the 35th minute, beating the Tottenham defenders with a through ball to Vieira, who then gave it to his countryman Robert Pires for the finish.

Amid constant pressure from Arsenal, Tottenham fought back, cutting the deficit to one with a goal from Jamie Redknapp in the 63rd minute. 

Then, in stoppage time, Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann fouled Robbie Keane, who converted the ensuing penalty kick to earn the draw.

It was the draw Arsenal needed though. The result put Arsenal ten points clear of Chelsea in the Premier League table, after the Blues lost that day to Newcastle and had only three games left.

It sparked wild scenes of those in red as the Arsenal players and supporters relished celebrating the title victory on the turf of the nemesis – with those associated to Spurs unable to maintain their sanity at the scene in front of them.

Arsenal’s season had a large number of draws in the league, and they went on to draw two of their last four but still, as we know, finished the season undefeated.