Arsenal’s best and worst moments of the season

Emile Smith Rowe celebrates

Arsenal’s best and worst moments of the season 

By James Reid

The 2021/22 season has been a real rollercoaster for Arsenal, with plenty of highs and lows. 

A disastrous start was turned around by Mikel Arteta’s youthful side and it looked like a top-four finish was on the cards despite a difficult January and April. 

However, crushing defeats to Spurs and Newcastle put a return to the Champions League out of sight for another season.  

With the dust beginning to settle on the season, we took a look at some of the best and worst moments. 



Best: Chelsea 2 - 4 Arsenal


The Gunners came into this game off the back of three defeats to Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Southampton. 

The results, and the manner of the losses, looked to have derailed Arsenal’s push for the top four as what should have been nine points turned into zero. 

Mikel Arteta’s men arrived at Stamford Bridge knowing that nothing but a win would do, never an easy feat away at Chelsea. 

But the young Gunners stepped up, with Eddie Nketiah scoring a brace, and one each for Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka putting Arsenal’s Champions League back on track with a stunning 4-2 victory. 



Worst: Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 0  Arsenal


One of the biggest North London derbies of all time, and Arsenal did not turn up. 

2-0 and a man down inside 37 minutes had the home fans rocking and the Gunners simply failed to cope with the size of the occasion. 

Heung-Min Son added a third after the break for Spurs to tilt the balance in the race for the top four in favour of the other side of North London in what would be a fatal blow for Mikel Arteta’s men. 



Best: Arsenal 3 - 1 Manchester United 


After the big win against Chelsea, Manchester United visited the Emirates for another huge game just three days later. 

All the hard work against the Blues would have been undone with defeat to United, a traditionally tricky foe for the Gunners, but Arsenal once more stepped up. 

Nuno Tavares opened the scoring after just three minutes before Saka added a second midway through the first half. 

Cristiano Ronaldo got one back for United but Granit Xhaka sealed all three points for Arsenal that really made everyone believe a return to the Champions League was possible.  



Worst: Newcastle United 2 - 0 Arsenal


Arsenal simply could not afford to drop points at St James’ Park but were second best throughout. 

Despite defeat to Spurs, top four was still in Arsenal’s hands if they could take all three points in the North East. 

However, a Ben White own goal and a second from Bruno Guimaraes earned a deserved win for the Magpies as Arsenal wilted under the pressure and handed the advantage to their North London rivals heading into the final day of the season. 



Best: Arsenal 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur


While the most recent North London derby did not go to plan, the one earlier in the season could hardly have gone better. 

A win over Spurs is always sweet, and even better when you’re 3-0 up before half-time.

Emile Smith Rowe got the afternoon started after 12 minutes before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka got in on the act with just over half an hour on the clock.

Heung-Min Son scored a consolation for Spurs but it did little to sour a great afternoon at the Emirates. 



Worst: Crystal Palace 3 - 0 Arsenal


Monday nights at Selhurst Park are never easy – just ask Liverpool – and Arsenal were the next victims as Palace romped to a 3-0 victory in South London. 

It had looked like Arsenal were in control of their top-four destiny after a good middle of the season but were given a rude awakening by Patrick Vieira’s men. 

Jean-Philippe Mateta got the Eagles in front and Jordan Ayew added a second after just 24 minutes.  

Wilfried Zaha got a third from the spot as Palace reminded Arsenal that they still have plenty of work to do to get themselves back to the very top. 


Photo Credit: Getty Images


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