Keown, Kanu, Henry, Sammels and many other famous Arsenal fightbacks

With Arsenal trailing AC Milan 4-0 in the Champions League following their first leg hammering, talkSPORT have delved into the archives to find some of the greatest comebacks in the history of the club. While a number of these results and victories below are impressive, few could match the miracle that would be a 5-0 (or even 6-1) win for Arsenal tonight. Do any of these give Gooners some hope? 

VERSUS SHAKHTAR DONETSK 3-2, 20 SEPTEMBER 2000

After two seasons of Champions League football at Wembley, Arsenal were back at Highbury for the 2000/01 season. But after half an hour, things were not going to plan, and the Gunners found themselves 2-0 down to the Ukrainian champions. Sylvain Wiltord struck on the stroke of half-time, before Martin Keown made himself the unlikely hero with a brace of goals in the final five minutes. 

VERSUS ANDERLECHT, 4-3 (ON AGRREGATE), 28 APRIL 1970

Having seen off Dutch giants Ajax in the semi finals, Arsenal found themselves 3-0 down with ten minutes remaining in the 1970 European Fairs Cup Final. Substitute Ray Kennedy struck a crucial away goal in Belgium, before over 50,000 packed in to Highbury a week later for the second leg. After Eddie Kelly’s opener, two goals in two minutes from John Radford and Jon Sammels gave the Gunners an unlikely 3-0 win and the cup.

VERSUS INTER, DYNAMO KIEV AND LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW, 2003/04 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CAMPAIGN

By half-time of their first match in Group B, Arsenal's supposed 'Invincibles' were 3-0 down at home to Inter. By the end of game three they were bottom of Group B with a solitary point. In the fourth game Arsene Wenger’s side were crashing out as their game with Kiev looked like ending in a 0-0 draw, until Ashley Cole stuck an 88th minute winner. That threw Arsenal a lifeline, but Inter awaited at the San Siro next. Thierry Henry was in sensational form as the Gunners won 5-1, before overcoming Lokomotiv at home and finishing top of the group, while the Italians incredibly crashed out. 

VERSUS Bolton, 3-2, 29 MARCH 2008

It was raining, the Gunners were 2-0 down, they were wearing a questionable maroon and navy striped kit and Abou Diaby had just been dismissed for a very rash challenge. Bolton, something of a bogey team for Arsenal, were in complete control. It wasn’t until over an hour had past that William Gallas struck Arsenal’s first, before Robin Van Persie converted a penalty to level matters. As the game was entering stoppage time, a mishit Cesc Fabregas shot somehow bobbled in off J Lloyd Samuel, allowing Wenger’s men to take all three points. 

VERSUS Middlesbrough, 5-3, 22 AUGUST 2004

As Arsenal looked to level Nottingham Forest’s all-time record of 42 unbeaten matches, Boro turned up at Highbury full of other ideas. Despite going 1-0 up, the Gunners were 3-1 down with just over half an hour left to play. Goals from Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry were sandwiched in between quick-fire Jose Reyes and Robert Pires strikes, to allow Arsenal to equal and then extend the record unbeaten run.

VERSUS CHELSEA, 3-2, 23 OCTOBER 1999

Goals from Tore Andre Flo and Dan Petrescu had given Chelsea the lead at Stamford Bridge, and they were looking good for all three points with 15 minutes remaining. Enter Nwankwo Kanu, whose stunning hat-trick proved to be the lanky Nigerian’s finest (quarter of an) hour in red and white. His treble was capped with a superb finish from an extremely tight angle having rounded goalie Ed De Goey. 

VERSUS Tottenham, 5-2, 26 FEBRUARY 2012

Spurs visited the Emirates for the first time as favourites and duly raced into a 2-0 lead through Louis Saha and an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty. Bacary Sagna and Robin Van Persie efforts restored parity before the break, with Tomas Rosicky giving Arsenal the lead for the first time just after half-time. A rapid brace from Theo Walcott then gave the Gunners a three goal cushion, and boosted their chances of finishing in the Champions League spots. 

AND ONE FOR LUCK…

DEPORTIVO 4-0 AC MILAN (5-4 ON AGGREGATE), 8 APRIL 2004

With four goals in eight minutes of the first leg, Milan - the then holders - were in complete control of their Champions League quarter-final tie at 4-1 up. Walter Pandiani scored early for the Spaniards in the return, as he’d done in the first leg, and reduced the deficit to 4-2, before goals from Jose Valeron and Albert Luque levelled the aggregate score. Fran then popped up with the decisive winner 15 minutes from time for Deportivo, proving miracles against Milan can happen!

Words: Joe McPhee

Do you think Arsenal can come back against Milan? Have your say by commenting below…