Arsenal - third different team to win league crown

After Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers had written their names as winners of the 'new' Premier League which was launched in 1992-93, Arsenal became the third different side to win the coveted trophy in 1998.

Arsene Wenger's awesome team re-wrote the history books by completing their second league and FA Cup double.

In the final at Wembley, Arsenal toppled Newcastle United for the third time that season (twice in the league) to add the FA Cup to their Premiership title.

Thanks to their 1997-98 success, Arsenal consolidated their status as one of the top clubs in Britain. The all-time championship winners' list at the end of season 1997-98 had the Gunners occupying second place along with Manchester United with 11 honours apiece, behind Liverpool, with 18 titles to their credit.

It was indeed a marvellous season for Manager of the Year Wenger who led his team to a league and FA Cup double in his first full season in the English game.

Since Chelsea triumphed in the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1997-98, along with Arsenal's two honours, these two sides ensured a grand slam for the London fans.

Chelsea had also become the only English side to win the Cup Winners' Cup twice, their first success dating back to 1971, the year Arsenal registered their first double in the English game.

Back to season 1997-98, Wenger became the first non-British coach to win the Premier League title which had eluded the Gunners since 1991.

At Highbury, they lost only twice (to Liverpool 0-1 and Blackburn 1-3).

In mid-April, the Londoners overtook United who, at one stage, enjoyed a lead of 11 points at the top.

Arsenal were eventually crowned champions on May 3.

A fortnight later, the Highbury Reds completed the double with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup final.

Top scorers

18 − Dublin (Coventry), Owen (Liverpool), Sutton (Blackburn).
16 − Bergkamp (Arsenal), Hasselbaink (Leeds), Hartson (West Ham).
15 − Gallacher (Blackburn).
14 − Huckerby (Coventry).

Transfers

Arsenal: Emmanuel Petit from Monaco, Marc Overmars from Ajax; Paul Merson to Middlesbrough.

Aston Villa: Stan Collymore from Liverpool, Simon Grayson from Leicester; Sasa Curcic to Crystal Palace.

Barnsley: Gjorgi Hristov from Partizan Belgrade, Ashley Ward from Derby; Paul Wilkinson to Millwall.

Blackburn: Stephane Henchoz from Hamburg, Martin Dahlin from Roma; Shay Given to Newcastle.

Bolton: Neil Cox from Middlesbrough, Robbie Elliott from Newcastle; John McGinlay to Bradford.

Chelsea: Celestine Babayaro from Anderlecht, Ed de Goey from Feyenoord, Craig Burley to Celtic.

Coventry: Viorel Moldovan from Grasshoppers, Roland Nilsson from Helsingborg, Peter Ndlovu to Birmingham.

Crystal Palace: Paul Warhurst from Blackburn, Neil Emblen from Wolves; Doug Freedman to Wolves.

Derby: Jonathan Hunt from West Brom, Francesco Baiano from Fiorentina; Aljosa Asanovic to Napoli.

Everton: Slaven Bilic from West Ham, Mitch Ward from Sheffield United; Andy Hinchcliffe to Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds: David Hopkin from Crystal Palace, Martin Hiden from Rapid Vienna; Brian Deane to Sheffield United.

Leicester: Graham Fenten from Blackburn, Rob Savage from Crewe; Simon Grayson to Aston Villa.

Liverpool: Paul Ince from Inter, Danny Murphy from Crewe; Mark Kennedy to Wimbledon.

Manchester United: Teddy Sheringham from Tottenham, Henning Berg from Blackburn; Karel Poborsky to Benfica.

Newcastle: Alessandro Pistone from Inter, John Barnes from Liverpool; Les Ferdinand to Tottenham Hotspurs.

Sheffield Wednesday: Patrik Blondeau from Monaco, Paolo di Canio from Celtic; Regi Blinker to Celtic.

Southampton: David Hirst from Sheffield Wednesday, John Beresford from Newcastle; Jim Magilton to Sheffield Wednesday.

Tottenham: David Ginola from Newcastle, Moussa Saib from Valencia; Stuart Nethercott to Millwall.

West Ham: Eyal Berkovic from Maccabi Haifa, Andy Impey from QPR; Marc Rieper to Celtic.

Wimbledon: Michael Hughes from West Ham, Andy Roberts from Crystal Palace; Vinny Jones to QPR.

Other statistics

In league action, Chelsea players scored three hat-tricks, Vialli (actually netted four) against Barnsley away (6-0), Zola home versus Derby (4-0) and Flo at Tottenham (6-1). The other forward to fire four goals in one match was Juergen Klinsmann for Tottenham at Wimbledon (6-2).

Crystal Palace were relegated on April 27, later joined by Barnsley and Bolton.

Roy Hodgson won the first managerial award for August for Blackburn and repeated the feat in December. Arsenal supremo Wenger had also claimed two awards, for March and April.

Dennis Bergkamp, considered by many critics as the best foreigner ever to play in the Premier League, won the player award twice, for August and September.

Two other Arsenal players to win the prize were Alex Manninger (March) and Emmanuel Petit (April).

Arsenal and Manchester United claimed seven doubles each. While Arsenal succeeded in beating United home and away, the Gunners suffered the same fate at the hands of Liverpool.

In Premier League action, many were the players sent off. Clubs that earned five red cards were Everton, Bolton, Blackburn, Leeds, Coventry, West Ham and Barnsley. No club registered a blank in the Premier League list of dismissals.

The Premiership managers who were given the sack were: David Pleat (Sheffield Wednesday), Gerry Francis (Tottenham), Ruud Gullit (Chelsea), Brian Little (Aston Villa) and Steve Coppell (Crystal Palace).

Individual awards

PFA Player of the Year: Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal).
PFA Young Player of the Year: Michael Owen (Liverpool).
Football Writers' Footballer of the Year: Bergkamp.
Manager of the Year: Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).
Managers Association Boss of the Year: David Jones (Southampton).
Premier League Player of the Year: Owen.