If proof were needed that George Graham’s Arsenal were ready to launch another title bid, it arrived five games into the 1990/91 season at Highbury, when the Gunners faced Chelsea.
We had made a positive start to the campaign, with victories against Wimbledon and Luton Town, a goalless stalemate against Tottenham in the north London derby, and a 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park.
However, always a hard taskmaster, Graham claimed that if his team wished to regain the title almost 18 months after they’d won it in such dramatic fashion at Anfield, they’d need to up the ante, and playing Chelsea, against whom we had gained just a single point the previous season, would give us a chance to shine in front of our own supporters.
“It was the day we started to really click,” recalled Swedish winger Anders Limpar, who’d arrived from Serie A club Cremonese in the close season, along with goalkeeper David Seaman and defender Andy Linighan.
Meanwhile, under the management of former Gunners coach Bobby Campbell, the Blues had assembled a good squad since their promotion back to the top-flight in 1989. Midfielders Andy Townsend and Dennis Wise were formidable talents, and up front Kevin Wilson dovetailed effectively with club legend Kerry Dixon.
The first half ended goalless, but Arsenal steamrolled Chelsea in the second half, with Limpar involved in everything. On 52 minutes, Lee Dixon delivered a perfect long cross onto the head of Paul Merson, who nodded down, and the new boy slammed the ball home to claim his first league goal in Gunners colours.
Limpar – already nicknamed the ‘Super Swede’ by adoring Highbury fans - was then upended in the penalty area by Blues defender David Lee after a jinking run, and Dixon, Arsenal’s resident spot kick expert, slammed the ball home past Dave Beasant from the spot.
Having scored one and been felled for the penalty, Limpar then added two assists to his afternoon’s work, setting up Merson for a tap-in and David Rocastle for a fourth. “It was the first time I felt I really clicked in an Arsenal shirt. One goal and three assists is a pretty good day’s work,” Limpar explained. In keeping with a crazy second half, there was still time for Wilson to score a consolation, and then miss a penalty.
The 4-1 victory filled Arsenal with confidence, and Limpar was the Gunners’ star performer as the evenings started to draw in. “For three months, he was probably the best player in the country,” Kevin Campbell stated.
Our long unbeaten league continued all the way to February, when ironically they lost 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. It proved to be our only league defeat of the campaign, as Graham’s side won the league by an impressive seven points from nearest challengers Liverpool.
The manager described the second-half blitz at Highbury in October as a “wonderful display of attacking football.” His 'Rolls-Royce team,’ as he was fond of describing the class of 1990/91, had just clicked into gear.
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