Gilberto Silva has lifted the lid on how Arsene Wenger inspired his Arsenal squad to become invincible after winning the 2003/04 Premier League title at White Hart Lane.
The Gunners sealed the title on the home patch of rivals Spurs with four games left to play and an unbeaten season still up for grabs.
How did Wenger inspire his Invincibles? Five key things to know…
- Arsenal surrendered an eight-point lead to hand Man Utd the 2002/03 Premier League title.
- Wenger used this as inspiration and predicted his side would go unbeaten in the next campaign.
- The Gunners won the 2003/04 title at White Hart Lane with four games to go.
- Arsenal drew two and won two of their last four games to complete a first invincible season in English football since Preston’s 1888/89 campaign.
- Former Arsenal captain Gilberto has revealed Wenger urged them to ‘make history’ after sealing the title against Spurs.
Prior to the 2003/04 campaign, there hadn’t been an invincible team in England since Preston’s 1888/89 squad, and Brazilian midfielder Gilberto has revealed what Wenger told his players after the 2-2 draw with Spurs.
The former Arsenal captain said (via Football London): “When we won [the title] and became champions at White Hart Lane and we had four more games to go, Arsene came to us [and said]: ‘Come on, you won the title. Now you can make history. Do the job properly and finish the season unbeaten.’
“It was hard because we were champions but to have a few games, you have to push yourself all the time.”
The 42-year-old also admitted he doesn’t see Arsenal’s record being matched again but was relieved to see Manchester City lose last season, fearing Pep Guardiola’s side were on the verge of replicating Wenger’s achievement.
“It won’t be easy, I don’t think. But when they (Man City) lost, I was very happy,” he joked. “I think the record does exist to be beaten. If one day it happens, we have to congratulate them.”
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Gilberto: It was like playing with a gun behind you
Despite having an eight-point lead in early March, Arsenal threw away the 2002/03 Premier League title as Manchester United sealed their eighth title in 11 years.
That collapse proved to be Wenger’s biggest inspiration for going unbeaten, with the French tactician even predicting that his side wouldn’t lose a single league game the following campaign.
“At the beginning of the season, we had a bit of pressure from Arsene because we had lost the season before to Manchester United,” Gilberto added.
“After being in front, they caught us and won the league and Arsene said at the beginning of the season that we were going to be unbeaten during the whole season.”
However, the former Brazil international did admit that Wenger’s prediction made the players feel like they ‘had a gun behind them’.
“When we noticed what he spoke about, it was like having a gun behind you,” he continued.
“‘Come on, play on!’ But we managed this in a natural way. We started playing and we just wanted to win the games. We didn’t care about being unbeaten during the whole season.”
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