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Find sources: "1989–90 Arsenal F.C. season" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2021) |
| 1989–90 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood | ||
| Manager | George Graham | ||
| Stadium | Highbury | ||
| First Division | 4th | ||
| FA Cup | Fourth round | ||
| League Cup | Fourth round | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Alan Smith (10) All: Alan Smith (13) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 43,483 vs. Queens Park Rangers (27 January 1990) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 26,865 vs. Southampton (2 May 1990) | ||
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← 1988–89
1990–91 →
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The 1989–90 season was Arsenal Football Club's 64th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2] After winning the title the previous season, Arsenal finished fourth in 1989–90, behind champions Liverpool, runners-up Aston Villa and third-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the title challenge.
Arsenal's campaign to retain the Championship in 1989–90 began well once they recovered from a 4–1 drubbing by Manchester United on the opening day, and in November they were on top. But the signs were not good; few of their victories were comfortable. The 4–3 home victory over Norwich on the first Saturday of November was particularly uncomfortable. The game marked David O'Learys 622nd major match for Arsenal, a club record, and it was an eventful occasion. O'Leary scored an equaliser as Arsenal recovered from 3–1 down and was also shown the yellow card. Then a last-minute penalty which gave Arsenal victory sparked a fracas involving 19 players. Three weeks later the FA Disciplinary Committee fined Norwich £50.000 and Arsenal £20.000. It was the first time clubs had been responsible for their players in such an incident.[3] Arsenal's wheels wobbled in the fourth round of the Littlewoods Cup in November. After a two-leg, 8–1 victory over Plymouth and a 1–0 victory over LiverpoolatHighbury, a visit to Second Division Oldham did not seem so awesome. Yet they were beaten 3–1 and, from Christmas onwards, their season fell apart. Five out of six successive away games were lost, with only one goal scored. Niall Quinn scored the winning goal against Stoke City in the FA-cup third round on 6 January 1990, which was to be his last game for Arsenal. After only 6 appearances in the League, Quinn left to join Manchester City for £700,000 in March 1990.[4]
FA-cup defeat at Queens Park Rangers followed, David Rocastle and Michael Thomas suffered dramatic losses in form and the goals dried up for Alan Smith, only 10 compared to 23 the previous season. On the other hand, the introduction of Kevin Campbell was an exiting indication of the future.[5]
As Arsenal had seen before, winning the championship and retaining it were different propositions. A final position of fourth was no disgrace, but it was 17 points behind Liverpool F.C.[6]
Adams, Rocastle and Smith were all in Bobby Robsons preliminary squad to World Cup 1990. Adams was axed in preference to Mark Wright, Rocastle was excluded although he had played in five of England's six World Cup qualifying matches. Smith was omitted in favour of Steve Bull. The only Arsenal player to make an appearance in the World Cup 1990 was David O'Leary who scored the last decesive penalty that took Ireland to the quarter finals. [7][8][9]
As league champions, Arsenal contested the 1989 FA Charity Shield against Liverpool, who beat their local rivals Everton to win the 1989 FA Cup Final. Liverpool won the match on 12 August 1989 by 1–0 with a goal from Peter Beardsley.
| 12 August 1989 FA Charity Shield | Liverpool | 1–0 | Arsenal | London |
Beardsley  32' |
Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 63,149 Referee: Allan Gunn (Sussex) |
| Pos | Team
|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Aston Villa | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 70 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 63 | |
| 4 | Arsenal | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 54 | 38 | +16 | 62 | |
| 5 | Chelsea | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 58 | 50 | +8 | 60 | |
| 6 | Everton | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 59 |
| 19 August 1989 1 | Manchester United | 4–1 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| Bruce 2' Hughes 63'Webb 79'McClair 83' |
Rocastle 22' |
Stadium: Old Trafford Referee: David Hutchinson |
| 22 August 1989 2 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Coventry City | London |
| Marwood 50' Thomas 84' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 9 September 1989 4 | Arsenal | 5–0 | Sheffield Wednesday | London |
| Merson Adams Marwood Thomas Smith |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 16 September 1989 5 | Nottingham Forest | 1–2 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Parker | Merson Marwood |
Stadium: City Ground |
| 23 September 1989 6 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Charlton Athletic | London |
| Marwood (pen) | Stadium: Highbury |
| 14 October 1989 8 | Arsenal | 4–0 | Manchester City | London |
| Groves (2) Thomas Merson |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 18 October 1989 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 2–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Samways Walsh |
Michael Thomas | Stadium: White Hart Lane |
| 21 October 1989 10 | Everton | 3–0 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| Nevin 39', 82' McDonald 78' |
Stadium: Goodison Park |
| 28 October 1989 11 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Derby County | London |
| Smith | Goddard | Stadium: Highbury |
| 4 November 1989 12 | Arsenal | 4–3 | Norwich City | London |
| Quinn 55' Dixon 60' (pen.)O'Leary 78' |
Allen 19' Phillips 30'Sherwood 76' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 11 November 1989 13 | Millwall | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
| Sheringham | Thomas Quinn |
Stadium: The Den |
| 18 November 1989 14 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Queen's Park Rangers | London |
| Smith Dixon (pen) Jónsson |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 26 November 1989 15 | Liverpool | 2–1 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| McMahon 30' Barnes 65' |
Smith 79' |
Stadium: Anfield |
| 3 December 1989 16 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Manchester United | London |
| Groves 15' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 9 December 1989 17 | Coventry City | 0–1 | Arsenal | Coventry |
| Merson | Stadium: Highfield Road |
| 16 December 1989 18 | Arsenal | 3–2 | Luton Town | London |
| Smith Merson Marwood |
Elstrup (2,1 pen) | Stadium: Highbury |
| 26 December 1989 19 | Southampton | 1–0 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Rod Wallace | Stadium: The Dell |
| 30 December 1989 20 | Aston Villa | 2–1 | Arsenal | Birmingham |
| Platt Mountfield |
Adams | Stadium: Villa Park |
| 1 January 1990 21 | Arsenal | 4–1 | Crystal Palace | London |
| Smith (2) Dixon Adams |
Pardew | Stadium: Highbury |
| 20 January 1990 23 | Arsenal | 1–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| Adams 64' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 17 February 1990 24 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–0 | Arsenal | Sheffield |
| Bould (o.g.) | Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium |
| 27 February 1990 25 | Charlton Athletic | 0–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Selhurst Park |
| 3 March 1990 26 | Queen's Park Rangers | 2–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Wilkins Wegerle |
Stadium: Loftus Road |
| 7 March 1990 27 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Nottingham Forest | London |
| Groves Adams Campbell |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 10 March 1990 28 | Manchester City | 1–1 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| White | Marwood | Stadium: Maine Road |
| 24 March 1990 30 | Derby County | 1–3 | Arsenal | Derby |
| Briscoe | Hayes (2) Campbell |
Stadium: Baseball Ground |
| 11 April 1990 32 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Aston Villa | London |
| Price 85' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 14 April 1990 33 | Crystal Palace | 1–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Gray | Hayes | Stadium: Selhurst Park |
| 18 April 1990 34 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Liverpool | London |
| Merson 40' |
Barnes 86' |
Stadium: Highbury |
| 21 April 1990 35 | Luton Town | 2–0 | Arsenal | Luton |
| Dowie Black |
Stadium: Kenilworth Road |
| 2 May 1990 37 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Southampton | London |
| Dixon (pen) Rocastle |
Horne | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 26,685 |
| 5 May 1990 38 | Norwich City | 2–2 | Arsenal | Norwich |
| Bowen 13' Fox 45' |
Smith 44', 77' |
Stadium: Carrow Road |
| 19 September 1989 Second round (1st Leg) | Arsenal | 2–0 | Plymouth Argyle | London |
| Smith, o.g. | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 26,865 |
| 3 October 1989 Second round (2nd Leg) | Plymouth Argyle | 1–6 (1–8 agg.) | Arsenal | Plymouth |
| Thomas (3), Groves, Smith, o.g. | Stadium: Hope Park Attendance: 17,360 |
| 25 October 1989 Third round | Arsenal | 1–0 | Liverpool | London |
| Smith 80' |
Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 40,814 |
| 22 November 1989 Fourth round | Oldham Athletic | 3–1 | Arsenal | Oldham |
| Ritchie (2) Henry |
Quinn 90' |
Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 14,924 |
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Stoke City.
| 6 January 1990 Third round | Stoke City | 0–1 | Arsenal | Stoke on Trent |
| Quinn | Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 23,827 |
| 27 January 1990 Fourth round | Arsenal | 0–0 | Queen's Park Rangers | London |
| Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 43,483 |
| 31 January 1990 Fourth round replay | Queen's Park Rangers | 2–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Sansom, Sinton | Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 21,547 |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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