Arsenal have scored 40 hat-tricks since the start of the Premier League. Here's a breakdown of every single one, ranked in order of merit.
40. Ian Wright v Ipswich (1995)
Ian Wright scored five Premier League hat-tricks - second only to Thierry Henry (though Wright managed more in all competitions). Most of them were pretty great; this one was fairly functional, with a neat finish after some decent wing play by the legendary Glenn Helder, and two tap-ins.
39. Kevin Campbell v Swindon (1993)
Some of the worst defending you’ll ever see in a top level match gave Campbell his second hat-trick for Arsenal. The young striker was presented with two unmissable tap-ins and a simple one-on-one finish, by a defence which conceded 100 league goals, and finished bottom of the Premier League.
38. Thierry Henry v Portsmouth (2005)
A neat piece of control and finish from a Lauren cross, and a dinked finish from a Vieira pass gave Henry his first two goals. For his third, Portsmouth keeper, Konstantinos Chalkias (making one of only five Premier League appearances), got two hands to Henry’s free kick, but managed to divert the ball back past himself off his knee. Henry probably wouldn't have been credited with the goal if it were scored now.
37. Ian Wright v Sheffield Wednesday (1996)
In a match remembered mainly for being Patrick Vieira’s debut, a penalty, a scrambled finish and a tap in from a Nigel Winterburn cross gave Wright his fourth Premier League hat-trick.
36. Marc Overmars v Middlesbrough (1999)
Overmars scored some breathtaking goals for Arsenal, but his only Premier League hat-trick featured three simple goals - two neat left-footed strikes and slotting home the rebound after his penalty hit the post.
35. Ian Wright v Ipswich (1994)
A fairly workmanlike hat-trick. A good strike across the keeper, a penalty into the top corner, and a one-on-one after a long pass from Tony Adams, sealed an easy win for the Gunners.
34. Santi Cazorla v Reading (2012)
Cazorla was loved by Arsenal fans for his character and creativity rather than goal scoring prowess, but he helped himself to his only Arsenal hat-trick against Reading with a somewhat unexpected diving header and two neat left-footed finishes.
33. Emmanuel Adebayor v Derby (2007)
Adebayor was the first player to score two hat-tricks against the same team in the same Premier League season (Ian Wright had done this against Southampton in the old First Division). Adebayor's first saw him take the ball around the keeper and slot it into an empty net, his second was a penalty, and his third a side-footer after showing good strength to beat a defender.
32. Emmanuel Adebayor v Derby (2008)
Technically this was a perfect hat-trick. And all the more impressive given the fact Adebayor only came on as a substitute at half-time. The first was a scrambled finish, the next two were well taken after fine assists from Gael Clichy and Cesc Fabregas.
31. Robin van Persie v Blackburn (2012)
Van Persie helped himself to three of the seven goals Arsenal scored in this thrashing of Blackburn. Theo Walcott put two of them on a plate for the Dutchman, and he completed his hat-trick with a near post strike high into the net.
30. Alexis Sanchez v Leicester (2015)
Against all the odds, Leicester would go on to win the 2015/16 title, but they looked nothing like champions during this 5-2 defeat to Arsenal. A tap-in to an empty net, a close range header, and a decent low strike from the edge of the area, gave Sanchez his first Premier League hat-trick.
29. Ian Wright v Bolton (1997)
The day Wright became Arsenal’s record goalscorer - until the title passed to Thierry Henry eight years later. The first was a good finish from a typical Dennis Bergkamp through ball, the second (which broke the record) was an unmissable tap-in, and the third a neat volley from a David Platt pass, to put the gloss on a perfect day for Wright.
28. Thierry Henry v West Ham (2003)
A penalty, a rare header from a Dennis Bergkamp cross, and a simple finish from a Robert Pires pass at the end of a counter attack, gave Henry his second Premier League hat-trick.
27. Aaron Ramsey v Everton (2018)
A nice finish after a flowing team move, a deflected strike from long-range, and a neat strike after a cut-back from Henrikh Mkhitaryan helped Arsenal to an easy 5-1 win over Everton - and gave Ramsey his only hat-trick for the Gunners.
26. Kevin Campbell v Ipswich (1993)
A follow up after Ian Wright’s chip hit the bar, a header from a Nigel Winterburn cross and a well taken one-on-one gave Campbell the honour of scoring Arsenal’s first ever hat-trick in the Premier League.
25. Sylvian Wiltord v West Ham (2001)
A one-on-one after a neat through ball from Robert Pires, a neat spin and low finish, and another one-on-one from a Freddie Ljungberg pass gave Wiltord his only Premier League hat-trick.
24. Emmanuel Adebayor v Blackburn (2008)
A neat header from a Denilson cross, a penalty and left-footed finish into an empty net gave Adebayor another technically perfect hat-trick.
23. Robin van Persie v Chelsea (2011)
Van Persie bagged his second Premier League hat-trick for Arsenal against future Arsenal keeper Peter Cech. His first was a tap-in after good work from Gervinho, the second capitalising on a comical slip by John Terry, and the third was thumped past Cech’s near post.
22. Thierry Henry v Norwich (2005)
A second hat-trick in successive home games left Henry just four goals short of Ian Wright’s club record of 185 goals. The Frenchman fired home three right-footed strikes; the first all his own work after cutting in from the left and thumping home an unstoppable drive.
21. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang v Leeds (2021)
Aubameyang's first Premier League hat-trick was Arsenal's first in the competition for three years. His first was his signature move, cutting in from the left, though this time catching the Leeds keeper out with a near-post drive, rather than a more typical far-post placement. Aubameyang's beautifully struck penalty and close range header completed his treble.
20. Freddie Ljungberg v Sunderland (2003)
Henry has already opened the scoring at the Stadium of Light, before he laid on all three of Ljungberg's goals with effortless assists. Freddie's first was a close range finish after Henry's cushioned header, his second a flick over the keeper from Henry's pass, and his third came after some typically close control and calm finishing from the Swede.
19. Thierry Henry v Wigan (2006)
In the last match played at Highbury, Henry ensured Arsenal once again finished ahead of Spurs by scoring an easy hat-trick, benefiting from a Pires through ball, a sloppy back pass and a penalty. Henry finished the season with the Golden Boot for the third successive year.
18. Olivier Giroud v Aston Villa (2016)
Arsenal confirmed runners up spot on the last day of the season against long relegated Aston Villa with Giroud’s only hat-trick for the Gunners - a smartly taken header and two decent left-footed strikes.
17. Jermaine Pennant v Southampton (2003)
Pennant scored all three of his Arsenal goals in this end of season thrashing of Southampton, notable for also featuring a Robert Pires hat-trick. Pennant finished his three chances with aplomb, benefiting from some devastating approach play, which saw Arsenal go 5-0 up after just 26 minutes.
16. Robert Pires v Southampton (2003)
Pires followed up two relatively straightforward goals with an audacious 30 yard chip, to seal a 6-1 victory for Arsenal. Two weeks later, Pires would score the only goal of the game to defeat the same opponents and win the FA Cup.
15. Theo Walcott v Blackpool (2010)
Walcott never reached the goal-scoring heights of Henry, Wright and Van Persie - and lacked the consistency to make the centre-forward position his own. But Walcott managed three hat-tricks for Arsenal, with goals of the highest quality. His first hat-trick featured three tidy finishes following end-to-end, sweeping team moves against a poor Blackpool side.
14. Ian Wright v Southampton (1994)
Wright loved to scored hat-tricks against Southampton. He scored two in his first season for Arsenal in the old First Division, both of which were special - the first coming on his league debut and the second helping him clinch the Golden Boot. This hat-trick featured a lovely diving header, a sweet volley into the top corner, and a penalty.13. Robin van Persie v Wigan (2011)
Van Persie missed a penalty in this match, but still managed to score his first Premier League hat-trick with a simple one-on-one, a beautifully controlled volley from a Cesc Fabregas pass, and a thumping finish after Theo Walcott’s lay off.
12. Nicolas Anelka v Leicester (1999)
Anelka had Dennis Bergkamp’s vision, and Leicester’s odd choice of a high defensive line, to thank for his only Premier League hat-trick for Arsenal, all the damage done in the first-half.
11. Thierry Henry v Leicester (2000)
Henry scored eight Premier League hat-tricks for Arsenal, and he bagged his first in this 6-1 Boxing Day thrashing of the Foxes. The Frenchman showcased his skill and growing confidence with a sweet volley from an outswinging Robert Pires corner, a nice turn and shot, and finally danced around Leicester keeper Tim Flowers for his third.
10. Theo Walcott v West Brom (2015)
Continuing a long history of hat-tricks from Arsenal players on the last day of the season, Walcott finished an injury hit year on a high note, with a 34 minute hat-trick. His first was a beauty, a shot driven into the top corner from wide on the right, followed ten minutes later by a display of quick feet and tidy finishing. His third was tapped in on the line after good work from Santi Cazorla.
9. Thierry Henry v Middlesbrough (2006)
Henry’s seventh Premier League hat-trick for Arsenal saw him pull level with Cliff Bastin’s 150 league goals for Arsenal. In this 7-0 destruction of Middlesbrough, Henry opened the scoring with a sweet right-foot volley from a Freddie Ljungberg cross, and finished off two through balls from Jose Antonio Reyes.
8. Theo Walcott v Newcastle (2012)
Despite scepticism from fans and pundits, Arsene Wenger was convinced Theo Walcott could become the pacey central striker Arsenal were missing. Walcott backed this up with an Henry-esque finish from the left and a neat turn and shot high into the net. His third was even better, dribbling through the Newcastle defence and, despite being fouled, jumping to his feet to dink the ball over Tim Krul.
7. Alexis Sanchez v West Ham (2016)
With Arsenal holding a narrow 1-0 lead at the London Stadium, Sanchez moved up a couple of gears to score a 15 minute hat-trick of high quality. A fantastic turn and strike across the keeper, an accurate low shot from the edge of the area, and an impudent dummy and chip over the on-rushing keeper, helped seal a 5-1 win for the Gunners.
6. Ray Parlour v Newcastle (2000)
The ever popular Ray Parlour’s scoring record for Arsenal was modest, but this was his second hat-trick of 2000, having scored three outstanding goals at Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup earlier in the year. This was just as good, with a thumping finish from a Kanu through ball, a fine header from a Thierry Henry cross, and a run from deep to get on the end of a scooped Pires pass.
5. Thierry Henry v Liverpool (2004)
At times during Arsenal’s 2004 title run in, Henry was unstoppable. At half-time in this evenly balanced match, the Gunners were trailing 2-1. The Frenchman had scored a beautifully taken equaliser from a Robert Pires pass, but Michael Owen had put Liverpool ahead. Pires equalised early in the second-half before Henry scored one of his greatest Arsenal goals, leaving Dietmar Hamann on the floor and Jamie Carragher performing a weirdly involuntary pirouette, before calmly side-footing past Jerzy Dudek. He completed his hat-trick in slightly fortuitous fashion, the ball ricocheting between him and Dudek after a delightful Dennis Bergkamp pass.
4. Kanu v Chelsea (1999)
Kanu’s finest hour - or quarter of an hour - in an Arsenal shirt. With 15 minutes left the Gunners were 2-0 down at Stamford Bridge and not looking like scoring. Kanu’s first was a simple prodded finish, his second a lovely first touch and near post shot, while his third took the breath away. After blocking a clearance, the Nigerian, virtually on the touchline, dribbled past the onrushing Ed de Goey and finished from a seemingly impossible angle.
3. Andrei Arshavin v Liverpool (2009)
Arshavin scored all four in this 4-4 draw at Anfield, the only time a player scoring four in a Premier League match has not finished on the winning side.The Russian had some good moments in an Arsenal shirt but was never a prolific scorer - this bonkers match proving to be the exception. Arshavin’s first was a finish off the bar from a cut-back from Cesc Fabregas, and his second was the pick of the bunch, a fine, swerving drive from outside the box. A poacher’s finish which went through Jose Reina, and a last minute breakaway should have sealed victory for the Gunners, but Yossi Benayoun equalised deep into injury time.
2. Thierry Henry v Leeds United (2004)
Henry scored his second hat-trick in a week - actually going one better - with four goals in this 5-0 destruction of Leeds. Two rare assists from Gilberto Silva and an absurdly high Leeds defensive line gave Henry simple one-on-ones. A panenka penalty and a stunning run from the half-way line gave Henry his only four-goal haul for Arsenal, and the opportunity for the Gunners to clinch the title at White Hart Lane in their next league game.
1. Dennis Bergkamp v Leicester (1997)
Just a few days before this match at Filbert Street, Bergkamp had scored a brace of stunning goals to give Arsenal a 3-1 win at Southampton. Famously he would go on to win first, second and third place in Match of the Day’s goal of the month competition, with one of the goals against the Saints and two against Leicester making up the top three. His first was a sensational right-footed shot which had curl and power and found the top corner of Kasey Keller’s net and the second was a finish off the keeper, after a burst of speed took him clear. The third was classic Bergkamp, and one of the best goals ever scored in the Premier League. The Dutchman controlled a lofted pass from David Platt and took a couple more sublime touches before stroking the ball into the net. Bergkamp was so good, he would repeat the trick with a similar goal for the Netherlands against Argentina during the World Cup.
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