1990–91 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1990–91 season was Arsenal Football Club's 93rd season of competitive football and 64th consecutive season in the top flight of English football, the Football League First Division. Arsenal finished the season as league champions for the second time in three seasons, losing just one of their 38 league games. They reached the semifinals of the FA Cup, losing to Tottenham. Alan Smith was the top scorer in both the league and all competitions, winning the golden boot for the second time.

Arsenal began the season with a 17-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, though it was not without drama. On 20 October, Arsenal faced Manchester United in the league. Although they won 1-0, the match resulted in a brawl after which Arsenal were deducted two points. Arsenal's unbeaten streak in all competitions came to an end with a 6-2 home loss to Manchester United in the League Cup. Arsenal didn't lose in the league until a 2-1 loss to Chelsea, their only loss of the season. Arsenal chased Liverpool for the league title for most of the season before winning the championship with a 3-1 victory over United in the pen-ultimate league game.

Manager George Graham brought in several important new signings for the season, including goalkeeper David Seaman, winger Anders Limpar, and defender Andy Linighan.

Season summary
The season began with two major signings at Highbury. After more than a year of trying, Arsenal finally landed goalkeeper David Seaman from Queens Park Rangers before the start of the season. Seaman would go on to keep 29 clean sheets in 50 matches. Arsenal's previous first choice goalkeeper John Lukic was sold to newly promoted Leeds United. Swedish winger Anders Limpar was signed from Italian side Cremonese, quickly prompting the departure of two other players in the same position – Brian Marwood and Martin Hayes. Manager George Graham also strengthened his defence with a move for Norwich defender Andy Linighan, although Linighan was not a regular player in his first season at Highbury. Making their debuts this season were midfielder David Hillier and striker Andy Cole. Although Cole made just one appearance for Arsenal this season as a substitute, Hillier played 22 games in all competitions and picked up a league title medal.

The season began with a 3–0 away win over Wimbledon, followed by a 2–1 home win over Luton Town. This good form continued and by the end of October, Arsenal were unbeaten in the league, along with defending champions Liverpool and North London rivals Tottenham in what was beginning to look like a very exciting title race. Tottenham soon fell away in the league, however, and so for much of the season it appeared likely that it would be a two horse race for the title between Arsenal and Liverpool.

On 20 October, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford for a league match with Manchester United, which they won 1–0, but the match was marred by a 21-player brawl which resulted in Arsenal being deducted two points and their opponents one point. Both clubs were fined £50,000.

Arsenal's League Cup hopes ended on 28 November when they lost 6–2 at home to Manchester United in the fourth round, ending their 17-game undefeated streak in all competitions. Four days later however, Arsenal beat Liverpool 3–0 in the league at Highbury, ending the visiting side's unbeaten start to the league campaign, although they did not overtake Kenny Dalglish's men and go top of the league until the new year.

On 19 December, the club was stunned when captain Tony Adams was jailed for four months for following a car crash. Adams was released after two months behind bars, during which Arsenal suffered their only league defeat of the season – a 2–1 defeat at Chelsea in their 24th game.

Before the end of the February, the title race was thrown into fresh uncertainty when Kenny Dalglish suddenly announced his resignation as manager of Liverpool, who were the only remaining serious threat to Arsenal's lead of the First Division. Ronnie Moran was placed in temporary charge until the arrival of Graeme Souness two months later, but by then Arsenal were looking all set for the league title.

Arsenal had also been in contention for the double for the FA Cup, which would have made them the only team in English football to have won the double twice, but these hopes ended in the semi-final at Wembley, where they beaten 3–1 by Tottenham, who went on to win the trophy for a then-record eighth time.

Confirmation of Arsenal's league title triumph finally came in their penultimate game of the season, on 6 May, when they triumphed 3–1 at home to Manchester United in a match where top scorer Alan Smith scored a hat-trick. Anders Limpar then scored a hat-trick in Arsenal's final fixture, a 6–1 victory over Coventry City at Highbury.

Throughout the season, Arsenal had lost only one game and conceded just 18 goals in the league. Alan Smith was Arsenal's top scorer and won the golden boot for the second time in three years. The league victory also granted Arsenal entrance to European competition for the 1991/92 season, following the end of the five-year ban of English sides in European competition.

Pre-season and friendlies
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Football League Cup
Arsenal entered the Football League Cup in the second round, where they were drawn against Chester City in a two-legged tie.

Colour key: Green = Arsenal win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win. Arsenal score ordered first.

FA Cup
Colour key: Green = Arsenal win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win. Arsenal score ordered first.

Squad statistics
Arsenal used a total of 19 players during the 1990–91 season and there were nine different goalscorers. There were also two squad members who did not make a first-team appearance in the campaign. Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon and Bould started in all 38 league matches. The team scored a total of 86 goals in all competitions. The top goalscorer was Smith, with 28 goals – 22 of which were scored in the league.


 * Key

No. = Squad number

Pos = Playing position

Nat. = Nationality

Apps = Appearances

GK = Goalkeeper

DF = Defender

MF = Midfielder

FW = Forward

''Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with name struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.''

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