The 1990–91 season was Arsenal Football Club's 95th season of competitive football and 65th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, the Football League First Division. Arsenal finished the season as league champions for the second time in three seasons, losing just one of their 38 league games. They reached the semifinals of the FA Cup, losing to Tottenham. Alan Smith was the top scorer in both the league and all competitions, winning the golden boot for the second time.

Arsenal began the season with a 17-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, though it was not without drama. On 20 October, Arsenal faced Manchester United in the league. Although they won 1-0, the match resulted in a brawl after which Arsenal were deducted two points. Arsenal's unbeaten streak in all competitions came to an end with a 6-2 home loss to Manchester United in the League Cup. Arsenal didn't lose in the league until a 2-1 loss to Chelsea, their only loss of the season. Arsenal chased Liverpool for the league title for most of the season before winning the championship with two games to spare after Liverpool lost to Nottingham Forest on May the 6th.

Manager George Graham brought in several important new signings for the season, including goalkeeper David Seaman, winger Anders Limpar, and defender Andy Linighan.

Season summary The season began with two major signings at Highbury. After more than a year of trying, Arsenal finally landed goalkeeper David Seaman from Queens Park Rangers before the start of the season. Seaman would go on to keep 29 clean sheets in 50 matches. Arsenal's previous first choice goalkeeper John Lukic was sold to newly promoted Leeds United. Swedish winger Anders Limpar was signed from Italian side Cremonese, quickly prompting the departure of two other players in the same position – Brian Marwood and Martin Hayes. Manager George Graham also strengthened his defence with a move for Norwich defender Andy Linighan, although Linighan was not a regular player in his first season at Highbury. Making their debuts this season were midfielder David Hillier and striker Andy Cole. Although Cole made just one appearance for Arsenal this season as a substitute, Hillier played 22 games in all competitions and picked up a league title medal.

The season began with a 3–0 away win over Wimbledon and a 2–1 home win over Luton Town. By the end of October, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham remained unbeaten in the league. Tottenham later dropped in the standings, leaving Arsenal and Liverpool as the primary contenders for the title for much of the season.

On 20 October, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford for a league match with Manchester United, which they won 1–0, but the match was marred by a 21-player brawl which resulted in Arsenal being deducted two points and their opponents one point. Both clubs were fined £50,000.

Arsenal's League Cup hopes ended on 28 November when they lost 6–2 at home to Manchester United in the fourth round, ending their 17-game undefeated streak in all competitions. Four days later however, Arsenal beat Liverpool 3–0 in the league at Highbury, ending the visiting side's unbeaten start to the league campaign, although they did not overtake Kenny Dalglish's men and go top of the league until the new year.

On 19 December, the club was stunned when captain Tony Adams was jailed for four months for following a car crash. Adams was released after two months behind bars, during which Arsenal suffered their only league defeat of the season – a 2–1 defeat at Chelsea in their 24th game.

Before the end of the February, the title race was thrown into fresh uncertainty when Kenny Dalglish suddenly announced his resignation as manager of Liverpool, who were the only remaining serious threat to Arsenal's lead of the First Division. Ronnie Moran was placed in temporary charge until the arrival of Graeme Souness two months later, but by then Arsenal were looking all set for the league title.

Arsenal had also been in contention for the double for the FA Cup, which would have made them the only team in English football to have won the double twice, but these hopes ended in the semi-final at Wembley, where they beaten 3–1 by Tottenham, who went on to win the trophy for a then-record eighth time.

Confirmation of Arsenal's league title triumph finally came just before their penultimate game of the season, on 6 May, when Liverpool lost to Nottingham Forest. Later that day, Arsenal triumphed 3–1 at home to Manchester United in a match where top scorer Alan Smith scored a hat-trick. Anders Limpar then scored a hat-trick in Arsenal's final fixture, a 6–1 victory over Coventry City at Highbury.

Throughout the season, Arsenal had lost only one game and conceded just 18 goals in the league. Alan Smith was Arsenal's top scorer and won the golden boot for the second time in three years. The league victory also granted Arsenal entrance to European competition for the 1991/92 season, following the end of the five-year ban of English sides in European competition.

Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance9 May 1990 South KoreaNW2–1Smith, Dixon?22 July 1990 Varbergs BoISAW2–0Merson, Rocastle?24 July 1990 Västra FrölundaAW4–0Linighan, Smith, Merson (2)?26 July 1990 IFK VärnamoAD2–2Merson, Limpar?3 August 1990Wolverhampton WanderersAW1–0Smith?10 August 1990Aston VillaNW2–0Limpar, Campbell?11 August 1990 SampdoriaNL0–1?17 August 1990Brighton & Hove AlbionAD2–2Rocastle, Smith?13 October 1990Tottenham HotspurHL2–5Smith, Merson14,80627 April 1991LiverpoolHL1–3Campbell18,22413 May 1991BarnetAW4–2Adams, Campbell, Merson, Groves7,72417 May 1991LiverpoolND1–1Winterburn60,000

Source:

Football League First Division

DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceRef25 August 1990WimbledonAW3–0Merson 57', Curle 59' (o.g.), Groves 90'13,73329 August 1990Luton TownHW2–1Merson 37', Thomas 69'32,7231 September 1990Tottenham HotspurHD0–040,0098 September 1990EvertonAD1–1Groves 58'29,91915 September 1990ChelseaHW4–1Limpar 52', Dixon 58' (pen.), Merson 62', Rocastle 73'40,47522 September 1990Nottingham ForestAW2–0Limpar 28', Rocastle 83'26,01329 September 1990Leeds UnitedAD2–2Limpar 39', 50' 30,0856 October 1990Norwich CityHW2–0Davis 26', 31' 36,73720 October 1990Manchester UnitedAW1–0Limpar 42'47,23227 October 1990SunderlandHW1–0Dixon 75' (pen.)38,4853 November 1990Coventry CityAW2–0Limpar 83', 88' 15,33610 November 1990Crystal PalaceAD0–028,28217 November 1990SouthamptonHW4–0Merson 21', Limpar 33', Smith 37', 59' 36,22924 November 1990Queens Park RangersAW3–1Merson 78', Smith 84', Campbell 86'18,5552 December 1990LiverpoolHW3–0Merson 21', Dixon 47' (pen.), Smith 88'40,4198 December 1990Luton TownAD1–1Smith 44'12,50615 December 1990WimbledonHD2–2Merson 31', Adams 35'30,16423 December 1990Aston VillaAD0–022,68726 December 1990Derby CountyHW3–0Smith 4', 77', Merson 26'25,55829 December 1990Sheffield UnitedHW4–1Dixon 50' (pen.), Thomas 70', Smith 84', 86' 37,8101 January 1991Manchester CityAW1–0Smith 59'30,57912 January 1991Tottenham HotspurAD0–034,75319 January 1991EvertonHW1–0Merson 47'35,3492 February 1991ChelseaAL1–2Smith 89'29,09423 February 1991Crystal PalaceHW4–0O'Leary 3', Merson 41', Smith 60', Campbell 61'42,1623 March 1991LiverpoolAW1–0Merson 66'37,22117 March 1991Leeds UnitedHW2–0Campbell 77', 86' 26,21820 March 1991Nottingham ForestHD1–1Campbell 32'34,15223 March 1991Norwich CityAD0–020,13130 March 1991Derby CountyAW2–0Smith 7', 84' 18,3973 April 1991Aston VillaHW5–0Campbell 37', 84', Davis 55', Smith 59', 61' 41,8686 April 1991Sheffield UnitedAW2–0Campbell 10', Smith 73'26,9209 April 1991SouthamptonAD1–1Smith 74'21,20017 April 1991Manchester CityHD2–2Campbell 5', Merson 14'38,41223 April 1991Queens Park RangersHW2–0Dixon 58' (pen.), Merson 72'42,3934 May 1991SunderlandAD0–022,6066 May 1991Manchester UnitedHW3–1Smith 19', 41, 58' (pen.) 40,22911 May 1991Coventry CityHW6–1Peake, 13' (o.g.), Limpar 31', 79', 86', Smith 77', Groves 90'41,039

Classification

Round by round

Football League Cup

Arsenal entered the Football League Cup in the second round, where they were drawn against Chester City in a two-legged tie.

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceRefSecond roundfirst leg25 September 1990Chester CityAW1–0Merson 59'4,135Second roundsecond leg9 October 1990Chester CityHW5–0Groves 10', 26', Smith 41', Adams 67', Merson 83'22,902Third round30 October 1990Manchester CityAW2–1Groves 50', Adams 64'26,825Fourth round28 November 1990Manchester UnitedHL2–6Smith 48', 68' 40,884 Colour key: Green = Arsenal win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win. Arsenal score ordered first.

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceRefThird round5 January 1991SunderlandHW2–1Smith 18', Limpar 45'Fourth round27 January 1991Leeds UnitedHD0–0Fourth round replay30 January 1991Leeds UnitedAD1–1Limpar 60'Fourth round second replay13 February 1991Leeds UnitedHD0–0Fourth round third replay16 February 1991Leeds UnitedAW2–1Merson 17', Dixon 43'Fifth round27 February 1991Shrewsbury TownAW1–0Thomas 59'Sixth round9 March 1991Cambridge UnitedHW2–1Campbell 19', Adams 61'Semi-final14 April 1991Tottenham HotspurNL1–3Smith 45'77,893 Colour key: Green = Arsenal win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win. Arsenal score ordered first.

Squad statistics Arsenal used a total of 19 players during the 1990–91 season and there were nine different goalscorers. There were also two squad members who did not make a first-team appearance in the campaign. Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon and Bould started in all 38 league matches. The team scored a total of 93 goals in all competitions. The top goalscorer was Smith, with 28 goals – 22 of which were scored in the league.

Key

No. = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

Nat. = Nationality

Apps = Appearances

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with name struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Pos.Nat.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKDavid Seaman3808040500DFNigel Winterburn3808040500DFLee Dixon3858140506DFTony Adams3013142374DFSteve Bould3808040500DFAndy Linighan7 (3)03 (1)00010 (4)0DFDavid O'Leary11 (10)15 (1)0(1)016 (12)1DFColin Pates(1)00000(1)0MFDavid Rocastle13 (3)2(1)02015 (4)2MFDavid Hillier9 (7)03 (1)02014 (8)0MFAnders Limpar32 (2)11522039 (2)13MFPaul Davis36 (1)36 (1)04046 (2)3MFMichael Thomas27 (4)2814037 (4)3MFPerry Groves13 (19)33 (1)04320 (20)6MFSigurður Jónsson20000020FWPaul Merson36 (1)13814248 (1)16FWAlan Smith35 (2)22824347 (2)27FWKevin Campbell15 (7)94 (2)1(4)019 (13)10FWAndy Cole(1)00000(1)0

Source:

See also

1990–91 in English football

References

External links 125 years of Arsenal history – 1991–1995 on Arsenal.com