EPL 27.08.1997 - Leicester City vs Arsenal
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Transcript
00:00Neil, Leicester City had made a bright start to life in their first season of Premier League football
00:06But the big tests keep on coming at the highest level
00:09And Arsene Wenger's Arsenal were the opposition at Filbert Street in late August 1997
00:15It was Wenger's first full season in charge of the Gunners
00:18And after guiding the club to third place, he was looking to continue the upward curve
00:24Leicester were providing stiff opposition for the Premier League big boys though
00:28Martin O'Neill had gathered together a combative side spearheaded by an emerging star Emil Heskey
00:34Who was expected to provide the main threat to David Seaman's goal
00:38There was a new look to the midfield where summer signings Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit took charge in the centre
00:44How would the Frenchman fare in the English game?
00:48Your match commentator is John Champion
00:53Two of the unbeaten sides remaining in the English Premier League
00:58Both with seven points from their opening three fixtures
01:01Two wins and a draw
01:04Both very encouraged by the way they've opened the season
01:08Particularly in the case of Leicester whose wins have come against Aston Villa and Liverpool
01:13And then a goalless draw at Old Trafford
01:16They'd expected to have rather fewer points than this
01:19Three games into the campaign
01:22Here's Robbie Savage
01:24And now Spencer Pryor
01:28Matt Elliott
01:30As usual three central defenders utilised by Martin O'Neill today
01:35The shape that has served Leicester so well in recent seasons
01:42And Winterburn
01:43Leaving the ball for Seaman
01:46Martin O'Neill replaced Mark McGee some 20 months ago now
01:52Heskey's header
01:54Here's Claridge
01:57Now Guppy
01:59Claridge
02:01And Heskey lunged at the ball but couldn't quite make meaningful contact
02:07It's a bright opening from Leicester
02:10Steve Guppy always wants to cross with his left
02:15The trickery of Claridge nearly producing something
02:19Grimondi
02:26Overmars pursuing the ball
02:28Into the corner
02:31Larsen-Wenger in his first full season in charge
02:37Is Bergkamp
02:38Oh, that is special
02:42Dennis Bergkamp
02:47With a touch of true class
02:50To fire Arsenal in front here at Filbert Street
02:54Seemed so little on when he received possession
02:57Bang! With power and accuracy past Casey Keller
03:04Guppy
03:08It's rough on Leicester
03:10To find themselves a goal down having contributed plenty to the opening skirmishes of this game
03:17And that's how it is when you face Arsenal
03:21Winterburn
03:23Right
03:24Taking on Pontus Cormark
03:28Not getting the better of the Swede
03:30Poor clearance
03:32Overmars
03:34And now right
03:36And Leicester fortunate to get away with it
03:43Arsenal will carve out their own opportunities
03:47Without being presented with chances
03:54Martin O'Neill's managerial apprenticeship at Wickham and then Norwich has served him well
04:05Guppy
04:11Grimondi pursued by Heskey who's got the better of him
04:18But couldn't find a finish
04:20Very powerful the Leicester teenager
04:31Right
04:34Winterburn
04:37Arsenal managed to do the double over Leicester last season
04:41With a pair of 2-0 wins
04:44Bergkamp with a penalty and Ian Wright scoring here at Filbert Street
04:50Viera
04:55Viera
04:58Tried to shrug off Lennon
05:00And then Mussi Izzet got back and made the challenge and Viera stayed down
05:05Arsenal play on
05:06Here's Bergkamp
05:08Viera still down
05:10And then the shot high and wide
05:13From Ian Wright
05:15Here having missed makes the point to the referee that
05:18He feels Viera was fouled by Mussi Izzet
05:31Fowler sliding in very late
05:33On Izzet and that's retribution
05:37But what Arsenal perceived as the earlier foul on Viera by Izzet
05:42And it's going to cost Ray Fowler a yellow card
05:45Premeditated
05:55Lennon
05:57Viera
05:59The foul for Savage
06:01And here's Izzet
06:03And then Elliott
06:04And they may wish it had fallen to someone other than the burly centre-back
06:09Whose goal scoring record is impressive but they mostly come with his head
06:13Not from 20 yards
06:23Darkness falling overhead
06:27It's a good atmosphere for night games at Filbert Street
06:31Here's Claridge
06:33Gutty
06:36And Claridge was fouled there
06:39And he may be a ragamuffin of a striker with a string of clubs
06:44But he's a player who demands respect
06:49Gutty
06:51They're under pressure from Viera, there's Izzet
06:54And again Patrick Viera
06:56Savage
06:58And Dixon tangling with Heskey
07:01No whistle, Elliott couldn't turn on it
07:05And Dixon immediately up and furious with referee Barber
07:12Because Heskey had hold of him
07:15On a couple of occasions and still no free kick was given
07:30Parler
07:32Steve Walsh will accept the throw
07:38Horrible miscue
07:40Elliott
07:43Savage can't prevent the throw to Arsenal
07:54Viera
07:56Good ball for Parler
07:57Stretching Leicester now
08:01Ray Parler to the byline
08:04And Spencer Prior was in the way
08:06Arsenal settled for a corner
08:13Petit
08:14Swing and a miss
08:18Winterberg
08:26And Bergkamp
08:27And Bergkamp
08:30He does strike the ball so sweetly
08:33It's a mystery as to why he wasn't more of a success in Italy
08:3752 games and only 11 goals for Inter
08:41But he has to be one of Europe's top footballers
08:45And indeed that shot, the final contribution
08:47From Bergkamp to the first half
08:50Arsenal leading at the break
08:51Through Bergkamp's spectacular goal
08:58Leicester
09:01Leicester with the words of Martin O'Neill still ringing in their ears
09:06O'Neill one of the great motivators in the English game at the moment
09:10And very rarely does he not get a response from his players
09:19Karsen Wenger
09:20Flanked by Pat Rice and his long serving kitman
09:22Vic Akers
09:28Parler
09:35Bergkamp
09:38That's in for Wright
09:44Well a prolific scorer he may be
09:48But it's the sort of difficult technical volley that
09:50The provider, Dennis Bergkamp, is the master of
09:58Elliot
10:02Leicester who have the enticing prospect of UEFA Cup football
10:05Before long, Atletico Madrid
10:07Are due here next month
10:11World stars like Christian Vieri and the Brazilian Juninho
10:15And all thanks to that League Cup win over Middlesbrough
10:18And the replay of the final at Hillsborough
10:20Here's a heady daze for Leicester
10:23But at the moment they're being given something of a lesson by Arsenal
10:25Here's Savage
10:29And Walsh's knockdown
10:30Didn't quite fall for Claridge
10:36Wright
10:39Is it?
10:42Now Lennon
10:45And it's in for Leicester
10:48Now Lennon
10:53Free kick is Arsenal's
10:58Dixon struggling to contain
11:00The 19 year old Heskey
11:05Overmars
11:07Winterburn
11:11Vieira
11:13Bergkamp
11:15Clearances by Cormark
11:18Ray Parler
11:19Let's fly
11:20And it's helped on its way
11:22By Casey Keller
11:24There is a criticism
11:26About Ray Parler's game
11:27It is that he should score far more goals
11:36Savage
11:38Dixon
11:41Still Arsenal can't manage to find this second goal
11:44Whilst it remains at 1-0
11:46Leicester continue to be a danger
11:53Parler
11:55Vieira
11:57Oh here's Bergkamp in space
11:59Chance for Bergkamp
12:01It's two
12:06Smooth as you like
12:08Albeit aided by deflection off the goalkeeper
12:13And Dennis Bergkamp has a brace
12:16Arsenal lead 2-0
12:19And it was the way in which he made the run to create space
12:23And then he rode his luck
12:25As the ball took an arcing deflection off Casey Keller
12:35Leicester have not played badly by any means
12:39But Arsenal have been supreme
12:41Here's Overmars
12:43Bearing down on Cormark
12:45And still going
12:54Following Arsenal on their travels is becoming
12:58Quite a fun thing to do
13:011-1 draw at Leeds this season
13:04And their only previous away game
13:07Home victories over Coventry and over Southampton
13:12Here's Heskey
13:14And a free header
13:15But Guthy couldn't get to it because Dixon threw himself
13:19Into the path of the ball
13:23And did enough to put Steve Guthy off
13:28It's a super cross from Heskey
13:31Demanding a finish and what brave defending
13:38Given away to Petit
13:40Likewise to Lennon
13:44Savage
13:47Petit striding in
13:51Bergkamp
13:53Releasing Ian Wright
13:54And Leicester exposed once more
13:57And Wright's ball in is fielded by a grateful Keller
14:01Just as well because Overmars was right behind him
14:03Dixon Wenger the man who took Monaco to a Champions League semi-final
14:08Watching on
14:10As Leicester make changes
14:21Gary Parker an important cog in the midfield wheel
14:27Bergkamp
14:29A right hander
14:30Bergkamp
14:32A right
14:34And Ian Wright
14:36Could have finished it there and then
14:41It was very close to Casey Culler's post
14:52Guthy
14:53Now possibilities
14:56And Cotty
14:58Cleared out to Parler
15:01And whatever Leicester try
15:03It's not coming off
15:05They've had plenty of possession
15:07They've done plenty of good things in this game
15:10Fenton
15:11Now Cotty
15:13Flag up on this near side
15:15The whistle has gone for an offside
15:20Tony Cotty's arrival as a substitute has added some zest
15:23And that's what Arsenal are looking for now
15:25By replacing Ian Wright
15:27With the young Frenchman Nicola Runelka
15:34Bergkamp
15:35Loves to drop deep to receive the ball
15:38It's very difficult for the opposition to counter who should go with him
15:41Here's Parker
15:47Lennon
15:52Fenton
15:54Just too strong for Cotty
15:58Two encouraging signs for O'Neill and John Robertson
16:03Stephen Hughes
16:06Winterberg
16:10Petit
16:13Hughes
16:14And Petit goes on his outside
16:24Bould
16:29Bould
16:30Shank straight into touch
16:3534 now Steve Bould
16:40Parker
16:42Heskey goes in
16:43And Heskey has pulled one back for Leicester
16:48And it's the very least that he and they deserve
16:54Because he has given the Arsenal back for the runaround
16:58And not many strikers manage to do that
17:00And finally he's got his reward
17:08Across comes Bould
17:10And there's a belief around Filbert Street now
17:13From manager
17:15To player
17:16To spectator
17:18Ball boys, club officials
17:20That Leicester can get something from this contest
17:24Double-decker stand behind that right-hand goal
17:26Trying to suck the ball
17:28Towards them
17:30Cormark
17:31Header out by Petit
17:36There's another scuff by Elliott
17:41Couple of minutes to play
17:43Plus stoppage time
17:46Walsh
17:50And now Manu Petit
17:52And off goes Anelka
17:53Who is very, very quick
17:59But unable to beat Casey Keller
18:03Heskey
18:05Here comes Guppy
18:07Two waiting
18:09And Winterburn nods behind
18:10Safety first
18:18Leicester sense something
18:22Possibility of a point
18:23There's Walsh
18:27Well they are always dangerous from set-pieces
18:30But it's whether they've got time
18:40Elliott
18:44Walsh now playing as an auxiliary centre-forward
18:47Dixon in ahead of Guppy
18:51Ball sent spinning in the direction of Leicester Royal Infirmary
18:57Have to send for another
19:00That's how close we are to the end
19:02That's how close Leicester are
19:05To securing something
19:08Cotty
19:13It's another Leicester corner
19:16And Arsenal's much vaunted defence
19:18Is being given a very thorough examination
19:22Parker
19:24Not what he wanted
19:25Not what Leicester wanted
19:29Instead of a corner this time it's a throw
19:36Taken by Gary Parker
19:38Guppy
19:40Parker
19:41Four waiting in blue
19:43There's Walsh
19:44Appeals for handball
19:46Waved away by referee Graham Barber
19:49Leicester thought they had a good case
19:52But here's Hughes on the counter for Arsenal
20:01Won by Cormark
20:03We're into stoppage time now
20:05And here's Heskey
20:09Held up by Grimaldi
20:11And the corner count continues to rise
20:18Plenty of anxious faces
20:22Plenty of expectations still
20:25As Guppy
20:27Tees up the set piece
20:32Elliott challenging with Vieira
20:35Lennon
20:36And then Petit away
20:4090 minutes on everyone's watch now
20:44And it comes for Matt Elliott
20:46And Elliott scored!
20:49At last
20:51Leicester are on terms
20:55Through sheer self-belief and persistence
21:05And it's the no-nonsense centre-half
21:08Matt Elliott
21:10Who squeezed the ball via a deflection
21:12Into the bottom corner
21:142-2
21:15What a comeback by Leicester
21:20And still we play on
21:23Anelka
21:26Half-stop by Pryor
21:29And Leicester sense they might win it now
21:35It's been a sterling effort by the home side
21:40And it's been a sterling effort by the home side
21:46Vieira
21:49Petit
21:51Now David Platt
21:55And Platt's in for Bergkamp
21:58And Dennis Bergkamp!
22:00What a goal!
22:03What a fabulous goal
22:05Fit to win any game
22:07From Dennis Bergkamp
22:10And he has a hat-trick
22:13And Arsenal surely
22:15Are three points down
22:18The ball
22:20Played in by David Platt
22:22One exquisite touch to control
22:24Another to beat the defender
22:26A third to set himself
22:28And a fourth to score
22:3493 minutes have been played
22:38And there cannot be very much more
22:41Dennis Bergkamp
22:43The scorer of a quite wonderful hat-trick
22:46Forward by Keller
22:49And it is a huge ask of Leicester now
22:52Having come from two behind
22:54To 2-2
22:56And then had their point
22:58So spectacularly, so brilliantly
23:00Whisked away from them by Dennis Bergkamp
23:08Final minute of stoppage time
23:11One more drink of water on the bench
23:13Deep breaths all around Filbert Street
23:17And it's a Leicester corner
23:24Martin O'Neill wishes he was still playing
23:29Gary Parker to take
23:32Steve Walsh goes up
23:34There's Pryor
23:36There's Walsh!
23:38It's simply unbelievable
23:43You could watch football for 50 years
23:46And never see a finish like this
23:52Steve Walsh
23:54Leicester's captain fantastic
23:56Makes it three goals apiece
23:59And given what both teams have contributed to this game
24:02Who can argue?
24:07Quite thrilling
24:12Four goals in the last six minutes
24:15Three of them coming in stoppage time
24:21Dixon
24:23For Platt
24:25Referee blows
24:27The points are shared
24:29And it's a game that will live long in the memory
24:31Of everyone who's been privileged enough
24:34To be part of this Filbert Street crowd
24:37Wonderful entertainment
24:39One or two recriminations out there from Arsenal
24:43Who have twice been pegged back
24:45Once from 2-0 up
24:47Once from 3-2
24:49But who can argue with the spirit shown by Leicester City
24:53To come back and share the spoils
24:55After a classic finish
24:57To a wonderful game
25:00A fantastic game
25:02Which underlined both Arsenal's emerging quality
25:05And Leicester's never say die attitude
25:07By the end of the season
25:09Both styles were rewarded
25:10As the Foxes battled their way
25:12To a creditable 10th place
25:14And Arsenal became champions
25:16Oh and by the way
25:18Those Arsenal new boys
25:20Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira
25:22Finished the season as world champions