Arsenal completed the first undefeated league season at the top level of English soccer in 115 years on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Leicester 2-1 at Highbury.
Arsenal won 26 and drew 12 in 38 games to finish with 90 points. Chelsea finished second with 79 and Man United was third with 75. Fourth went to Liverpool (60) and fifth to Newcastle (56).
After Paul Dickov gave Leicester a surprise 1-0 lead in the 26th minute, it was Frenchman Thierry Henry -- regarded widely as the world's top striker -- who equalized on a 47th-minute penalty. Fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira made 2-1 in the 66th, running from midfield to side-foot the ball into the net.
Since joining Arsenal in the fall of 1996, French manager Arsene Wenger has won three league titles, three FA Cups to end the last decade's dominance of Manchester United.
"I always had that dream and to fulfill it is marvelous," Wenger said. "It is my third title and the best one. Not to lose is amazing."
"We always want to improve, we always want to get better. I am confident this team is hungry for more."
Henry summed up the historic moment.
"It may take 20 years for people to realize what we have done," he said. "We wanted to do something special. Now we have done it is something more than amazing.
Vieira said the team would "be remembered forever."
"We never set out to go unbeaten. Our intention was always just want to win."
With a fast-paced, stylish game created by mostly non-Englishmen -- Henry and Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp, midfielder Vieira and French winger Robert Pires -- Arsenal matched the feat of Preston North End in 1889.
But that was another era. That club won 18 and tied four.
AC Milan in 1992 was the last to pull off an undefeated league season in one of Europe's top five leagues, winning 22 and drawing 12. It's never happened in the German Bundesliga. It's happened twice in Spain, but not in a long time. Athletic Bilbao did it in 1929-1930 and Real Madrid repeated it two seasons later.
Allowing for draws in soccer, the record has been loosely compared to the Miami Dolphins' 17-0 season in American football in 1972.
Despite the unique record, Arsenal has yet to win the European Champions League. The Gunners were upset by fellow English side Chelsea this season in the quarterfinals despite beating the Blues three times earlier in the season.
The Gunners have yet to win back-to-back titles under Wenger. Man United, which won eight of 12 title since the Premier League began in 1992-1993, has never finished the league season undefeated.
The one remaining matter in the league was settled on Saturday.
Newcastle claimed fifth place and a spot next year in the UEFA Cup with its 1-1 draw at Liverpool. Aston Villa could have claimed fifth with a victory, but fell 2-0 at home against Manchester United.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool qualified for the Champions League.
Chelsea finished with a 1-0 victory over already relegated Leeds. Many expect it to be the last match for manager Claudio Ranieri, who seems likely to replaced by billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich.
Ranieri circled the pitch after the match, throwing kisses to fans at Stamford Bridge. With a blue team scarf draped over his shoulders, he was greeted by a standing ovation and hundreds of hand-painted signs.
A few said: "Thank you Claudio" and "Don't Tinker with the Tinkerman."
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