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Charlton vs Arsenal at Highbury 04 Nov 2001

Charlton won 4-2 in a match that characterised the club under Alan Curbishley. Fingers crossed I'll be seeing a replay of that much in a couple seasons!

Firstly, 40 years of the Premier League Phil? Really?

As for my input, even though as a Chelsea fan I'd be tempted to go with either the 8-0 demolition of Wigan in 2010 to secure the title, or maybe the 1-1 draw with Arsenal after Essien's belter of a shot, the Manchester derby with Owen's 4-3 winner was an astounding game - so many twists and turns and superb goals.

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My biased pick would be Man U 2 Boro 3 in 1999 which ended with our local legend Bernie Slaven in a department store window. My memory may be playing tricks but I remember my disappointment as Ravanelli went off injured and then it turning to unthinkable joy as Emerson lashed in another! Before obvious disappointment as we lost 2 finals and were relegated (typical Boro).

Overall it has to be one of several Arsenal vs Spurs' matches doesn't it?

It makes little sense having one sided games in 'the game of the decade' as there is little passion at the end of the game when the side is already 4 goals up.

The best games are on knife edges till the end or a great comeback.

I'm a United fan but i would still discount Arsenal 8-2 and Spurs comeback as the game was up with a lot of time to go at the end.

For me it's either 4-3 against City or 4-4 Spurs Arsenal. For drama, great goals and passion they were the 2 big ones for me.

Joe Hesketh. Is there any reason why the Premier League won't be around in another 20 years? Or did you just not read it properly (like me the first time round!)

.6 John of Burgundy: cheers for pointing me out there! I'll keep schtum from here on in then.

I remember the Everton v Man Utd game back in 2004 (I think?) being an absolute cracker! United took a 3-0 half time lead and should have been ahead by more, only for Rooney to inspire a 2nd half fightback for Everton to make it 3-3 going into the last few minutes. Everton pushed and pushed for the winner but it was United that got the goal right at the death. Absolutely gutting for me as a Toffee, but the game was a cracker for the neutral!

ChubbyPandas wrote:

"Obviously Cantona will win when he shouldn't because a third of the country are glory hunting Man Utd fans."

_____________________________________________________________

Waaaaaah!! Waaaaah!!

United have won more PL titles than all other teams combined. You might just have to accept that they're gonna be picking up quite a few of these awards. Maybe you should just go away - save yourself the distress this obviously causes.

Best one, Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle 1996.

Keegans Newcastle were the best ever team to watch in the Premier League although this match drifted away from them.

@9 kanchelskis_legend
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Get over it and just choose a match.

Liverpool 4 - Newcastle 3 (first one) in my opinion

However there have been so many great games over the 20 years...
- Spurs 3 v United 5
- Newcastle 4 v Arsenal 4
- Arsenal 4 v Spurs 4
- Charlton 4 v Chelsea 2
- Arsenal 2 v Charlton 4
- Leeds 3 v Newcastle 4
- United 4 v Man City 3
- Newcastle 4 v United 3
- Wolves 4 v Leicester 3

Some absolute classics and the above are just the ones I can remember right now - there are plenty more - so almost impossible to choose just one

@Sams Town

WAAAAAHH!!!



But since you ask, Portsmouth 7 - 4 Reading. Not sure why that's not in there. Good old big club bias I guess.

Tottenham Arsenal games win it for me. There have been some great derby matches between those two over the years.

i think the best match of the season was when wigan beat man u what a quality game, Martinez for the england job!!!!!

United 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1.

Not as many goals as the others but in terms of shaping the Premier League, probably the most crucial.

One that really sticks out in my mind was Newcastle v Fulham a few years back - 2007ish?

Newcastle absolutely dominated the game from start to finish, but Mark Crossley had a once-in-a-career performance and Fulham went 4-0 up when the score could (should?) have been the other way round. It finished 4-1.

I'm a fan of neither club - my own Aston Villa haven't been involved in too many classics down the years, but a come-from-behind 3-2 win against Arsenal in 1999 is as good as I can remember.

phil @8

Good to see Everton appearing on a favourite match list as they certainly appear in some of mine. The 2-2 draw at Arsenal was a game full of skill and it had the excitement. The fact that Wenger commented after the match that a draw felt like a victory for Arsenal who had played well. It was a good indication to how well Everton played.

Liverpool 4 - Newcastle 3 - 1996
Liverpool 4 - Newcastle 3 - 1997 (the better one imho)

Not a single mention for any of the "El Clasico's"?!? Life isn't just about England, there are some great games overseas you know.

*Shakes head and leaves the room.

how about this season when wigan beat liverpool, what a quality game, Martinez for england job!!!!

Its got to be Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3, by a country mile.
Hairs on the back of your neck stuff.
Newcastle were brilliant that year (and this is from a Man United fan).

Aug 2009, Stoke City 3-2 Aston Villa
A good Villa side under Martin O'Neill, the year they had fourth in their grasp and let it slip, the first team to visit Stoke in the Premier League. Newly-promoted Championship club way out of their depth but managing to win through sheer force of will. Villa came back twice but Mama Sidibe scored with the back of his head in the 94th minute to win it. The game even had that goal of the month by Ricardo Fuller. Titanic battle

West Ham 3 - 4 Spurs is up there for me.

2-0 down half time. Pull it back to 2-2. Ex spurs boy Zamora looks to have killed the game when he makes it 3-2 with 5 minutes to go. Berbatov Free Kick to seal a point in the 91st minute and then the legend that is Paul Stalteri fires the winner from close range deep deep into injury time. Amazing stuff.

Also up there would be when Spurs 7-4 Reading

1. Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2
2. Newcastle 0 Manchester United 1
3. Arsenal 4 Spurs 4
4. Spurs 3 Manchester United 5
5. Charlton 4 Arsenal 2

West Ham 4-3 Tottenham 96/97.

also Newcastle's comeback against Arsenal was pretty impressive

i think it was when wigan beat arsenal what a quality game, Martinez for the England job!!!

Seriously why should we celebrate 20 years of re-branding...

We had years of great football and history before the premier league

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Dunno about the best. But, a significant match was Chelsea 1 Man U 0 on the opening day of the 2004/05 season.

Mourinho's first game, Cech in goal. The changing of the guard.

Had that result not happened, might history be quite different or only a little different?

A very close second however was Man City 2 Man United 3, 1994 ( i think)
United were 2-0 down at half time, but stormed back in the second half to nick it at the death.United had just been knocked out of the champions league by Galatasary the Wednesday before so the victory was even sweeter.

no but seriously i played i really good game of football one time.

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This is a poorly written blog. Very poor indeed. I assume you forgot you needed to do a blog today Phil so just banged this one out at the last minute???

The 40 years thing is confusing....and then we get to the paragraph where THREE of Arsenal's games include THREE 4-4 draws AND an 8-2??!! ...skip to a paragraph about a 4-3...then go back to a new paragraph saying how Ferguson's attacking philosopy is shown in that results. What result? oh yeah...the one from two paragraphs ago.

I haven't even read the rest yet.

#29 average´óÏó´«Ã½_journalist

I agree. The tone is somewhat self congratulatory given that the change 20 years ago lie's at the root of much of what is wrong with English football.

It's similar to the hoo-har when a presenter leaves a programme after a period of time. Just seems an excuse for advertising.

Southampton 6-3 Manchester United 1996. Cant say that wasnt a good, thrilling game

Spurs 4 - 5 Arsenal. Martin Jol's first game in charge, I think it was. That was a huge game for me because I was only vaguely following Spurs back then, on grounds that they were my dad's club, but we went to see that one and I was hooked.

Also, for pure entertainment value, someone ought to mention this season's Man Utd 2 - 3 Blackburn. Fantastic game.

Wigan 3 - 2 West Ham

Now that was drama :o)

Liverpool 0 Watford 1 in 1999 - Tommy Mooney in front of the Kop!

Bit of a hastily written/sloppy article, Phil.

"some may find it surprising that three of the games that feature Arsene Wenger's side include three 4-4 draws and an 8-2 defeat at Manchester United."

3 draws + 1 loss is 4 games, so that certainly is surprising.

"Liverpool's 4-3 win over Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United at Anfield in April 1996.

Sir Alex Ferguson's attacking philosophy is reflected in that result"

Surely not, seeing as the clubs were managed by Roy Evans and Kevin Keegan respectively. Presumably you mean the previous match mentioned - the 8-2 win over Arsenal - but if so your paragraphs are in the wrong order.

ll purely subjective and all designed to provoke debate from now until the time the Premier League celebrates its 40th anniversary but all part of what has made England's top tier such a compelling product.
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La Liga is better Phil you should know that and a better playing standard than a league in which the Trafford Trundler has driven a mediocre ManU team to top spot!

Can't think of one outstanding game :)

@average´óÏó´«Ã½_journalist

1. It wasn't just a rebrand. There were changes to the competition (number of teams, Europe qualification rules)

2. There was 'great football and history' before, but it sure as hell wasn't in the few years leading up to the 'rebrand'. Football was in a pretty dark place in the late 80s / early 90s, and in many ways the inception of the PL was the kick up the bum it needed. It wasn't without its flaws, of course, but the amount of money it's brought to the English league system has kept the league competitive in Europe. Some may blame the national team's woes on the inception of the PL, but I personally think that's a separate responsibility for the FA.

4th Dec 1993

Swindon 0 - 0 Sheffield United

20. At 10:41 17th Apr 2012, Bobby Knows Best wrote:
Not a single mention for any of the "El Clasico's"?!? Life isn't just about England, there are some great games overseas you know.

*Shakes head and leaves the room.

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Is that a joke? If so, I don't get it.

If it wasn't a joke, then it's probably worth pointing out this is the PREMIER LEAGUE award. As such, it'll only feature matches played in the English Premier League. Overseas teams are therefore quite unlikely to feature.

Liverpool 3 Manchester United 3 stands out in my memory, United being three up after half an hour, then Liverpool mounting a comeback culminating with Neil Ruddock's equaliser. Cracking game!

#43 kanchelskis_legend

Any issues with the English leagues participation in European competition can be traced to specific incidents that happened, rather than as a need to make 'us' competitive.

The rampant commercialisation of English football has, in my view, led to a decrease in 'competition'.

23 October 2011.

Manchester Utd 1 - Manchester City 6

Drama, excitement, some great goals, pass of the season from Silva, and 99% of football fans loving seeing the dominant side of the past 20 years humbles in tehir own backyard. By their 'noisy neighbours'. Awesome!

Liverpool 1 - 2 Blackpool ,

Charlie & Reg doing the business for the Prems biggest ever underdogs - in Front of the Kop ( as well)

At 11:08 17th Apr 2012, SomeGibbon wrote:

and 99% of football fans loving seeing the dominant side of the past 20 years humbles in tehir own backyard

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I'd be interested to see the thorough statistical analysis you've obviously carried out to come up with this figure.

Or did you just pluck it out of your jacksy?

Or another one that didn't have goals but was iconic was Newcastle United 0 Manchester United 1 - Newcastle battered Manchester all over the place, but just couldn't get past an inspired Peter Schmeichel - the amounts of times he smothered Les Ferdinand shots was insane. Then of course Cantona popping up with a late winner to stick the knife into KK's side showed everything about Manchester United's mentality over the last 20 years.

@kanchelskis_legend

Sorry dont agree. The rebranding of the premier league and sky TV's money did not save football in this country. Around that time we got to the semi-final of Italia 90 and if I recall we were pretty happy about that.

I also believe that the injection of money has had a detrimental impact on our national game. Euro 96 was our last semi final, and the so called superstars of the 2000's etc where the EPL became the richest league in Europe, have managed a few quarters.

Yes the product is better, the coverage and presentation but its all superficial. Which is why I find it difficult to be excited over this. Especially when all I have to look forward to is another summer of watching over paid, over hyped players crashing out of the Euro's

@36 MrBlueBurns... Thanks for the ackowledgment!

A few stand out for me:

Man Utd 1 Man City 6 - 2011

West Ham United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 4 – 2007

Newcastle United 5 Manchester United 0 – 1996

West Ham United 5 Bradford City 4 – 2000

Arsenal 2 Leeds United 3 – 2003

Leeds United 4 Liverpool 3 – 2000

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester United 5 – 2001

Newcastle United 4 Arsenal 4 – 2011

Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle United 30 April 1996

@ 41 FortressFratton

I agree (see post 35)....but i think you've made the point slightly better than me. Maybe i could have a job at the beeb?

Speaking as someone who cannot abide what the Premier League has become which is just a cash cow sky and the clubs its a difficult one to answer.

I would probably say West Ham 3 Wimbledon 4. (West Ham were 3 up)


What would be a great question is "Whats the best game prior to the PL"?

I'm surprised the 'over-moneyed' PL cops so much flak for the failings of our national team.

Transfer fees and wage bills are rampant in La Liga compared with our league (bar City), and I think their international team is doing OK.

I think far more deeply entrenched aspects of the FA and of general football culture are to blame. I'm thinking STILL the favouring of physique over technique at junior levels, the bizarre shunning of 7-a-side and 9-a-side at junior levels, a general lack of strategic long-term planning, a club-over-country mentality for many fans of big clubs (yes, especially United), a lack of cooperation between club managers and the national team (yes, including Fergie), the cynical, destructive tendencies of the press...

I could go on and on, without really coming to the amount of money in the game.

The greatest Premier League match has to be that time Hartlepool United came from 2 down to win at Old Trafford... what my FM doesn't count? Damnit! I can dream that that'll happen one day!

The games that immediately sprung to mind as the most enjoyable I've watcher were:

Liverpool 4 - 3 Newcastle (1996)
Liverpool 4 - 3 Newcastle (1997)
United 4 - 3 City (2009)
Liverpool 3 - 3 United (1994)
Newcastle 0 - 1 United (1996)
Chelsea 2 - 3 Arsenal (1999)

Out of all of them I'd say the Newcastle United game, just because it effectively won the league for United when all the sensible money had been on Newcastle just a few short weeks earlier!

I realise I've been top heavy with my games there, but for some reason those down the lower end of the league don't seem to stick with me - probably because they are less likely to be shown live so I'm less likely to watch.

Spurs 3 - 5 United in September 2001.

I was 10 years old and remember my father coming in from work at half time absolutely thrilled to see United losing. Due to me being convinced that the match was not lost and that United would somehow stage a comeback, Dad bet me £50 that Spurs would win. I will never forget that amazing comeback, nor the look on my old man's face when he handed over the £. Fantastic day!

Liverpool 4-3 Newcastle - the first one.

(Barnes, Rush, Barnes, Rush.....COLLYMORE!)

#57 kanchelskis_legend

I don't think I would say that the Premier League has been at the cost of the national team.

I would say that the Premier League has been at the cost of competition in our national game.

59.At 11:26 17th Apr 2012, NoWayJose wrote:

your dad bet you £50 aged 10!!!

was this story made up??

Best game in premier league history- Probably Leicester City v

Manchester United 1 - 6 City

Purely for the hilarity of it.

@56

3 April 1899

Glossop North End 0 - 1 Gainsborough Trinity

I remember Dawson-Bowes-Lyon was awesome that afternoon, following his return from the 2nd Boer War.

@ #3 - I think a Premier League hall of fame is a brilliant idea. As you said, some of the more unfasionable players can be rewarded, for instance, a servant like Dion Dublin was outstanding for Coventry City and Aston Villa yet would get nowhere near a Premier League XI but would be honoured as an inductee into the hall of fame. wonderful idea.

My favourite game has to be the Manchester Derby from 2 seasons ago, 4-3 in 'fergie time'. What a great great game!

62

"your dad bet you £50 aged 10!!!

was this story made up??"

Haha....belter!

Typical United fanboy

@derwaldmann - 22-01-2011

It was hilarious. As was the 1-4 at OT vs Liverpool.

Hilarious cos, as with the Scousers in 2010, when we're lifting the title in May, we can watch videos of the giddy Berties celebrating their little OT outing ... and all for nothing!

@ 43 kanchelskis_legend

Not convinced we have the PL to thank for KEEPING us competitive in Europe. We were managing just fine to keep ourselves competitive in the late 70s/80s with a string of wins in the European cup by Liverpool, Forest and Villa. Then we got kicked out of Europe (no complaints there) and when we finally returned...surprise surprise we struggled. I think we'd have moved back towards being competitive regardless of the PL...and it certainly hasn't KEPT us competitive.

Depends what you mean by a 'great game'? I notice many of these are high scoring affairs, but as a certain 'special one' said that's usually because the defences, on both sides, played woefully. Or, as with Keegan, the manager of one side was tactically inept, or one manager put out a scratch side that got hammered.

None of these scenarios (for me) result in a 'great match' and rule out 98% of the games mentioned above. I sat like someone on itching powder during the 4-3 game at Anfield, the defences were diabolical, and each attack nearly brought a goal. It drove me (as a former defender) nuts. The same can be said of so many of the other games.

For me, the best games were lower scoring, with both defences and attacks shining, and these are rare in the dire EPL, you have to go back to the old League Championship for those.

One standout? Arsenal v Utd 3-1 2001-02. Top game between two sides at the top of theirs.

What is the point in even having a short list? Alex Ferguson is obviously going to win the manager award and Ryan Giggs should win the player award. They've won more than anyone else by a mile.
I am now not supporting the Premier League anymore. It is a complete joke. The FA are totally useless, the players are overpaid cheats and most can barely string together a coherent sentence without sounding stupid. Football has almost no credibility anymore and is now a joke sport played by people who pretend to be men. I will be laughing the day the league collapses forever. Sooner rather than later to ensure we don't endure another 20 years of complete rubbish. Best league in the world. Yeah right!

Why is Beckhams in top 20 goals? Sullivan was miles off his line, keeper error not a goal worthy of that list at all.

@clippo, don't feed the troll.

That guy does nothing but make provocative posts all the time.

What about the match in 2005 in Highbury between Man Utd and Arsenal. Man U won 4-2. But the match was absolutely brilliant in every sense. Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry were absolutely awesome, as were young duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. Ryan Giggs scored a magnificant goal too. I can't believe no body selected it.

And yes, MAN UTD 4-3 EVERTON in Goodison Park in 2004 was great too.

Lots of things contribute to a great game of footie,but number one in my world is a good comeback,so step forward Spurs vs Man Utd. Spurs,as they can,were very good in the first half and took a commanding 3-0 lead,only for Utd to storm back with 5 in reply.
But bias rules my choice,as it does with most on here. No mention of the 6-1 vs a great Arsenal a few years back,yet an inferior Arsenal lose 8-2 and that is.
Whatever game is finally chosen,may I hope that it will be worthy of the choice..and many more games in the future will end up just as highly rated.

@ Bobby Knows Best "What was the best PREMIER LEAGUE match of the past 20 seasons?" Pretty sure neither Real Madrid or Barca are in the Premier League bud. Next time please stop and think before posting such and idiotic comment.

Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3, 1996 / 1997. Fantastic!

No doubt it is the 96 Liverpool v Newcastle game. It had everything! I remember watching the Time of our lives programme about the Newcastle side of that era and Ginola said that that game summed up why Newcastle would never win the league under KK, just far to attacking. As a complete neutral to the PL (barring 2008-2010) this was the best season since its inception.

Also I remember Leeds V Liverpool in about 2002 when Viduka scored a hat-trick think it was 4-3 to Leeds. Brilliant game yet to be mentioned.

Like all Man U fans they will believe their games are the best, just like how they think 99' CL final was better than Liverpool's 04'. Not a chance, that game was poor for 88 minutes.

How the hell can a game such as Man U 8 -2 Arsenal & Man U 1 - 6 Man City be the best.

68

I agree. I'm not a Liverpool or City fan. Try again son.

As stated in the article's title, 'the greatest PL GAME' not season.

6-1 hilarious

#70.Nelly

ah so your one of those, go against what everyone else is saying to look better/more intelectual/clever/of a higher view than the majority, i see. Football matches are won and lost because of goals simple as that, it breeds excitement. a 1-0 win with some great defensive tackles and a well organised back 4 isnt going to be up there is it. people pay money to watch football to be entertained, not give a jolly good round of applause for a tidy well organsied match won by the 1 goal and a fine defensive back line.

lower scoring with bost defences and attacks shining???

funny you say that too then mention a game that has 4 goals in it too??

I think that many would agree that the first time this result happened: Liverpool 4 - 3 Newcastle (1996) it was one of the best.

There haven't been many games to match it in recent seasons. Many of the games now are quite one-sided in the Premier League but maybe that's just my opinion.

The FA cup semi-finals were quite exciting though

Why people here all comment about lose of arsenal ?
Lets remember Arsenal won Spurs 5-2
Arsenal won Chelsea 5-3

#70 Nelly

That is why Chelsea 4 Barcelona 2 in the Champions League in 2005 is one of my favourite games. Absolute quality throughout.

People take the superlatives you might use for a game like that and try to apply them elsewhere. So much superficiality around in the presentation nowadays trying to convince you that the product you have bought (subscribed to) is worth the money.

78.At 11:45 17th Apr 2012, Hull Tiger wrote:

I mentioned that game and Viduka in fact scored 4

@derwaldmann - 22-01-2011

Looking back over your previous comments, which display an unhealthy obsession with United, I assumed you must be one of the two.

The fact you're not makes your obsession even more alarming.

Millwall's in south London. Just saying

neither Real Madrid or Barca are in the Premier League
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Correct and it would be too much of a step down for these clubs in such a poor technical league as the EPL

Actually given the performance of McCarthy and McArthur last night for Wigan as they bossed Arsenal - only a couple of years after these players were part of a Hamilton team relegated from the SPL - I can see why people would want Barca and real as part of their league to learn more of the beautiful game:)

Will have to be Manchester City vs Manchester United 30th April 2012
A game that decides the title! Two teams that have been neck and neck all season. An unpredictable game between two rivals which will be full of Goals Galore!!

@signori, indeed you did. Must have missed that one!

#72
Keepers nowadays are always that far off their line. How many times have players done what Beckham did since?

Game, set and match.

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To all those posting about La Liga - Read the title.

To all those posting about Pre-Prem games - Read the title.

Considering this is a blog on a British corporation's website in the year 2012, the English Premier League surely stands out as the best topic.

Arsenal/Spurs 4-4 would get my pick. Or the 3-3 between Malaga and Athletico Bilbao in the 1970/71 La Liga season, that was a good one too.

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The PL will only become more and more corporate in the years to come and the average football fan will become completely disollusioned with the marketing and money in the game.
The fan will soon learn that Skys advertisements trying to promote Bolton v Fulham (no disrespect) as a "must see game" are just crass.

When the fan walks away and money starts to dry up whats the chances of the clubs selling their souls for even more cash? I can see it now......................Sunday 4th April 2018, Aon Utd v Standard Chartered FC

85

Is that it?? Seriously?

That's your come back?

Dearie Me pal. You're that obsessed by people who dislike Unitehd that you go back through their comments.

Sad man

Has to be Arsenal 4 - 4 Spurs. I was gutted, but it was still an amazing match. Had it all including Bentley scoring an outrageous goal against the club that nurtured him.

The United 4 - 3 City was incredible as well. The winner by Owen after Giggs showed great vision to pick him out, incredible. Showed how fast fans can go from a high to a low in PL football.

West Ham 1 - Man Utd 1

Final game of season 1995

March 2009 Man United 1 Liverpool 4 at Old Trafford. Torres destroys what was supposed to be the best defence in europe; Vidic and Ferdinand. Whatever happened to that Torres boy he used to be quite good:)

@87 actually Wigan didn't boss Arsenal - Arsenal would have won the game if they could have made their own first-half pressure count. No disrespect to Wigan, but they hardly spent the game camped in Arsenal's half, rather preferring to play the counter-attack game.