Arsenal recorded a 7-0 win over Middlesbrough today in their final season at Highbury in 2006. This equals Arsenal’s highest ever win in the Premier League after the Gunners beat Everton by the same score at the end of the previous campaign.
I was at that game and it was my last game at the old stadium before the club moved to the Emirates Stadium. The performance reflected the scoreline as it was a completely one-sided game and Middlesbrough were unable to keep up with Arsenal.
Thierry Henry scored a hat-trick while Philippe Senderos, Robert Pires, Gilberto Silva and Alexander Hleb also got on the scoresheet.
It was Thierry Henry who blocked Freddie Ljungberg’s cross with a delicate volley in the 20th minute of the first half. Swiss defender Philippe Senderos scored a bullet header from a corner kick two minutes later and Henry added his second goal after 30 minutes.
There was still enough time in half-time for Robert Pires to curl the ball around Boro’s Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones for the home side’s fourth goal.
If Middlesbrough’s players thought Arsenal would take on them easily in the second half, they were mistaken. They had nothing to give up because they would go on to concede three more times, and if true, they should have conceded more.
Gilberto Silva scored Arsenal’s fifth goal with a header from Thierry Henry’s free kick in the 59th minute, and Henry completed his hat-trick nine minutes later.
Henry’s third goal equaled Cliff Bastin’s record of 150 league goals for the club, and the Frenchman will soon become the club’s all-time leading scorer.
The seventh and final goal of the afternoon was scored by Alexander Hleb, his first goal for the club. The Belarusian international joined Arsenal in pre-season and scored 10 goals for the club before moving to Barcelona.
As a result, Arsenal are now three points out of the top four, which could secure Champions League qualification for next season. Middlesbrough were looking nervously over their shoulders, just five points off the relegation zone from safety.
January 14 Today’s post first appeared in the Far Post header.
