1997–98 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1997–98 campaign marked Arsenal’s sixth in the Premier League and their 72nd straight year in England’s top division. Under Arsène Wenger in his first full season as manager, the club secured the league championship for the first time in seven years. They also defeated Newcastle United 2–0 in the 1998 FA Cup Final at Wembley, winning the trophy for the first time since 1993 and completing the domestic double—only the second in Arsenal’s history, and the first since 1970–71. In the League Cup, Arsenal reached the semi-finals before losing to Chelsea, and they were eliminated by PAOK on aggregate in the UEFA Cup’s first round.

During the transfer window, Arsenal brought in several new players, including midfielders Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit, as well as goalkeeper Alex Manninger. English midfielder Paul Merson left the club to join Middlesbrough. The team started the league season reasonably well, but a stretch of three defeats in four matches from November to December 1997 left them in sixth place before Christmas and seemingly out of the title race. Despite trailing reigning champions Manchester United by 12 points at the end of February, Arsenal went on a ten-match winning streak, clinching the championship with a 4–0 victory over Everton on 3 May 1998.

In recognition of the team’s success, Wenger received the Carling Manager of the Year award, and striker Dennis Bergkamp was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year by his fellow professionals and FWA Footballer of the Year by football writers.