Arsene Wenger signs off saying he 'had disagreements' with the fans: 'But we had one thing in common: we loved Arsenal FC'

To the end, there was dignity and, to use one of his favourite words, , humanity to Arsene Wenger as he bowed out,quite literally, as Arsenal manager after 22 years, 1,235 games and this, his 707th victory.

One-nil to the Arsenal, in fact, although that was never a scoreline he cherished or that was associated with him.

There was sentimentality, too – and why not as Wenger spoke of the appropriateness of Huddersfield Town being his final opponent in what otherwise was an inconsequential fixture?

“Herbert Chapman, maybe our greatest manager, came from here,” Wenger said. “For me to come here on the last day had a special meaning when you know the history of our club. In fact, there was a photo just in front of the dressing room where Chapman smiled at me because he was on the photo.”

Chapman smiling down on Wenger is certainly some romantic image, one that resonates powerfully for all Arsenal fans. Chapman was Huddersfield’s greatest manager, in their golden period in the 1920s when they won league titles, with three stars adorning their shirts, and were such a force in English football that he was poached by Arsenal and transformed them too.

Chapman revolutionised the role of the manager, making him more powerful in an era when decisions were made by committee. Privately, Wenger might ruefully consider the wheel is turning full circle away from his profession, given the nature of his departure, as he first walked past the bust of Chapman at the entrance to the John Smith Stadium, then the photograph before he took to the pitch to be met by a guard of honour.

Before kick-off, Wenger strode towards the travelling Arsenal supporters and bowed to them, later saying it was a spontaneous act of appreciation. “We had disagreements, which I accept, but we had one thing in common: we loved Arsenal Football Club, and I wanted to share that with them,” he said.

Wenger went to the away dug-out an hour before the game to get some “oxygen”. “It’s difficult to understand when you don’t know how deep the love is for the game [in England],” Wenger said. “It was a fantastic experience for me. Where do I go from there? That’s the difficulty. When you’ve experienced this intensity for such a long time, I don’t know where I go. I’ll remain a fan wherever I go.”

Wenger will now look forward to the next phase of his career and his life. The 68-year-old has already divulged he has had many offers and confirmed that they included Premier League clubs.

“Yes, I had offers, yes, of course,” he said, “but at the moment, I have not said anything to anybody. I came out of a long process and you cannot just the next morning go somewhere else. It’s impossible.”

But could he manage against Arsenal? “I’m not ready for that at the moment,” Wenger said. “That would be very difficult, I’d stay at home that day. Maybe, I don’t envisage that at the moment. Maybe it’s better I go somewhere else.”

He suggested that Arsenal are only “some additions” away from competing for the Premier League title. Although that may not only depend on how many is “some” but who manages them, one player who will be crucial to the future is surely Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Wenger’s final signing, if it was his decision, and most expensive ever signing scored the only goal, and it means he has struck 10 times in just 13 league games since he arrived in January for £56 million.

 The goal was also one that will have delighted Wenger as it was constructed through a slick passing move involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexandre Lacazette, with the latter sliding the ball through to Aaron Ramsey who prodded it across goal for Aubameyang to force home.

That was tough on Huddersfield who should have scored through Steve Mounie, with a header, and Tom Ince, who ballooned over, but it did not detract from the celebratory atmosphere. However, there may be a pang of alarm from their supporters in the non-committal way manager David Wagner later spoke about his own future, having kept the club up against the odds.

Club owner Dean Hoyle had taken to the pitch at half-time to suggest Wagner would stay, but the German later said simply that the chairman was putting “pressure” on himself with that declaration. Time will soon tell.

Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl made smart saves from Lacazette and substitute Danny Welbeck while as they made most of the running, Huddersfield went closest when Aaron Mooy clipped the top of the cross-bar, and substitute Laurent Depoitre did not gain enough power with a header.

The result also meant that, at the eighth attempt, Arsenal did not maintain their unwanted record of being the only team in English football to collect just a point away from home in 2018.

“I’m very proud, I’ve contributed a little bit,” Wenger said as he departed. “I’ve given some good moments to people who love the club. 

“I don’t know what will stay or remain through the victories or defeats. I think what will remain is the formidable human aspect of the last 22 years – that is special, and I will cherish.” And rightly so.

4:58PM

Farewell, then, Arsene Wenger

You were a brilliant manager and a good person. You transformed English football. You invented pasta. You produced a couple of amazing teams. You stayed too long. You have our thanks and our best wishes. And we now have a match report.

4:57PM

More banners!

4:52PM

Full time: Huddersfield 0 Arsenal 1

Arsene Wenger signs off with that rarest of commodities: an away win!

4:51PM

90+ mins

The ball is played in. A Huddersfield player gets a head on it, Ospina bravely gathers and gets a whack in the process. He's stopped it on the line. For a second there is a suggestion that it was over the line, but no. Bit of bad feeling from the players about the challenge on the keeper, and there's a booking. But it is no goal.

4:49PM

90+ mins

We are going to have three minutes added. Arsenal fans singing about Arsene. It looks like we are going to have one final play... Huddersfield with a freekick

4:45PM

87 mins

Hadergjonaj chests it through and Mooy unloads with a sizzling volley. It hits the bar.

4:45PM

85 mins

Dean Whitehead, who is retiring, comes on. Dean Whitehead makes way.

4:44PM

83 mins

Xhaka nearly caps the Wenger era in unfitting fashion, but his long-range screamer goes wide.

4:39PM

81 mins

Galloping run from Welbeck, but his decision making lets him down and he thumps the ball straight at the on-rushing keeper.

4:37PM

79 mins

Mkhitaryan and Lacazette are through! Perfect ball from Mkhi, ut Lacazette tries to chip the keeper, and Lossl has read him like a comic. Easy grab in the end.

4:36PM

77 mins

A corner into the box and that man Mounie has yet again got above his opponents. Cannot get the header on target. He goes down with cramp and, in fact, Wagner is now taking him off.

Arsenal's defenders will be glad to see the back of him!

4:33PM

75 mins

Ramsey and now Welbeck get chances to deliver balls in, but not able to find the pass.

4:30PM

72 mins

Mounie now gets to work on Monreal. He's clattered in to him as they slide for the ball, and is now wrestling with him.

4:29PM

71 mins

Arsene shuffles his pack for the last time. Maitland-Niles comes on, Iwobi off.

4:28PM

70 mins

It is all Huddersfield, which isn't to say that Arsenal cannot do them on the break, but the pressure is all coming from the home side. They have a corner. Played short... back in... Mounie! No, that header is well wide.

4:25PM

66 mins

Danny Welbeck and Nacho Monreal on.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sead Kolasinac off.

I guess Ospina is okay to carry on. He looks a bit sore.

4:24PM

65 mins

Deep cross into the Arsenal box, Ospina gathers and gets clattered for his trouble.

4:23PM

64 mins

Huddersfield really putting it up to Arsenal now. Mounie breaks, is fouled by Holding and advantage is played, not sure if it really helped their cause.

4:23PM

62 mins

Hadergjonaj with an effort.

4:22PM

60  mins

Tom Ince has run his race. Laurent Depoitre comes on.

4:17PM

59 mins

Mooy with a nice crossfield switch, Pritchard with a reverse pass.... Ince runs onto the ball and cracks a low shot. Good save Ospina!

4:16PM

58 mins

Rapier move from Arsenal makes Huddersfield look very lumpen. 

4:15PM

57 mins

Mooy has had a smack on the conker. There is some blood.

4:14PM

55 mins

Huddersfield are clearly from the "if you don't buy a ticket..." school of thought. But they keep failing to hit the target. Alex Pritchard drills one over.

4:12PM

54 mins

Ospina has hurt his foot/leg and is limping around gingerly. Ooh, fun! Will we see a lesser-spotted keeper? Matt Macey is the goalie on the bench.

4:10PM

52 mins 

Mounie attempts a bicycle kick. It is not a success.

Florent Hadergjona has a go from the edge of the box.

4:10PM

51 mins

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang attempts to #turn #provider but crosses it straight into the keeper's arms.

4:07PM

48 mins

Oh no, this is more familiar: individual error by Holding lets Mounie in. The bounce of the ball doesn't go in his favour.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang certainly has made a flying start to his PL career.

Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers, 1992/93): 16  (12 goals, 4 assists)

Micky Quinn (Coventry City, 1992/93): 16 (14 goals, 2 assists)

Kevin Phillips (Sunderland, 1999/2000): 15 (13 goals, 2 assists)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, 2017/18): 14 (10 goals, 4 assists)

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City, 2011/12): 14 (11 goals, 3 assists)

Papiss Cisse (Newcastle United, 2011/12): 14 (13 goals, 1 assist)

4:05PM

47 mins

Glory be, some muscular and competent defending from Arsenal! Mooy with a nice cross, Mounie is looking to get up but the Arsenal central defence block him off.

4:02PM

46 mins

Second half is underway. What will it bring for Arsene and his team?

3:59PM

A good day for fans of

"nice touch". #nicetouch #nice #touch

3:58PM

Tributes

There was a sweet tribute to Arsene on 22 minutes (marking his 22 years) as both sets of fans rose to applaud. Fans asked him for a wave and he delivered.

3:48PM

Half time: Huddersfield 0 Arsenal 1

Arsene strides off to give his last half-time talk. A low-impact fixture, his side were a bit sloppy in the first 20, and Huddersfield had the better of it. The one moment of real forward quality came from Aubameyang, whose excellent movement took him into the six-yard box for a tap-in.

3:46PM

Lingo bingo

3:46PM

A nice gift from AW to his successor

3:44PM

40 mins

Arsenal looking a lot more confident now. HTFC had much the better of things in the first quarter.

3:39PM

GOAL! Arsenal have scored

And it is Aubameyang (38)

Alexandre Lacazette slides it to Aaron Ramsey on the left. His low cross is on a silver plate for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who slots it away neatly.

3:35PM

33 mins

This is a bit more like it! Passionate, aggressive sliding tackle from Terence Kongolo on Aubameyang, who was haring after a ball from Alex Iwobi.

3:33PM

31 mins

Affable encounter, both sides happy to let each other take a touch and have a go at attacking. A bit like a game in the park after two cans.

3:31PM

28 mins

Read an article by Sam Wallace earlier about players' wages. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang featured. Becoz eeez worf eeet. He really isn't.

Anyhow. Here come Arsenal. Mkhi with lash at goal. Deflected for a corner. Arsenal's third such. Comes to nothing.

3:28PM

26 mins

Arsenal go close. A corner, a flicked header, and Kolasinac stabs it wide at the back post.

3:25PM

22 mins

Applause from all corners of the ground to mark Wenger's 22 years.

Asked to "give us a wave", he does.

3:21PM

19 mins

Henrikh Mkhitaryan tries to get the freekick over the wall, but only manages to hit someone in the knee. A pathetic dead ball attempt. He wins an ill-deserved corner. That comes to little.

3:20PM

18 mins

Arsenal break, but give it away.

Now another break from the visitors. Sead Kolasinac , for some reason, decides he's going to try and beat the whole team. Chopped down on the edge of the area by Mathias Jorgensen. 

3:18PM

14 mins

Ince again! Another shot, this one wide. Arsenal haven't turned up at all and a team with better strikers than Huddersfield would be up by now.

3:15PM

Plane speaking

3:14PM

10 mins

Unless his spineless team wake up, old Mr W is going to be signing off with a defeat. They're getting opened up with ease here. Alex Pritchard gallopes onto a long ball. He clips it back for Ince, who should have done a lot better from 10 or so yards out. Wellied it over the bar.

3:10PM

9 mins

Mounie, who is bullying these Arsenal boys, gets up for a header and crunches Mustafi. Delay while he gets attention.

3:09PM

Thanks

3:07PM

5 mins

A plane flies over the stadium with a 'Merci Arsene' banner.

But the manager's attention is now focused on the Arsenal penalty area. A corner. Mounie again gets up above the defence. Heads it down at goal. Blocked. And a follow up! Christopher Schindler's struck that well, but Arsenal scramble clear.

3:04PM

3 mins

But we have our first chance now, as Huddersfield get down the right. Cross in, Moune gets up, and he works the keeper with a header.

3:04PM

2 mins

It's a happy occasion for the Huddersfield fans, able to go into the last day knowing that they will definitely be staying up. A friendly atmosphere so far.

3:02PM

1 mins

Kick off. It's a nice day up in Hudders. 

2:49PM

Gifts aplenty

2:42PM

Oh happy day

2:25PM

It has finished 5-5 at Easter Road

Just incredible. Right then. To business.

2:20PM

Le Boss

2:18PM

Brilliant piece on Arsene Wenger

A generous, open-hearted article by a generous, open-hearted writer on a generous, open-hearted man. I commend this to you.

2:12PM

The age of Huddersfield

For some reason, having not blogged Huddersfield all season, I have done them three times in a week.

And what a week it has been for them: they went to Man City and Chelsea and got a point on both occasions, ensuring their Premier League status in the process.

2:10PM

Those teams in full

Huddersfield: Lossl, Hadergjonaj, Jorgensen, Schindler,  Kongolo, Lowe, Pritchard, Mooy, Hogg, Ince, Mounie. Subs: Smith,  Whitehead, Billing, Sabiri, Coleman, Depoitre, Stankovic. 

Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Holding, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Iwobi,  Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Lacazette, Aubameyang. Subs:  Mertesacker, Monreal, Welbeck, Maitland-Niles, Macey, Nketiah,  Willock.

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland) 

2:08PM

If you'd like to keep abreast 

of the other action in the Premier League today, this is our live clockwatch megablog.

2:07PM

The game of the season

is currently on at Easter Road. Hibs 4 Rangers 5. Hibs were 3-0 up in 22 minutes. Rangers made it 3-3 by 40 minutes. Sensational entertainment. 

2:03PM

Huddersfield

2:02PM

Arsenal team

2:02PM

Here come the teams

for Arsene Wenger's last game.

2:01PM

And Roma are also sending their best

1:56PM

Good afternoon

Tyers here, happy to bring you news of the final day of the season, specifically Arsenal's trip to Huddersfield.

The Terriers have given Arsene a generous welcome to the ground.

1:55PM

Our preview

What is it?

It's the final game of the season for Huddersfield and Arsenal and, more significantly, the last in Arsene Wenger's 22-reign as Arsenal manager.

When is it?

It's on Sunday May 13 - ie today.

What time is kick-off?

It's a 3pm BST start.

What TV channel is it on?

It's not, unfortunately. Despite being Wenger's final game in charge of Arsenal, Sky Sports have opted to show the games at Liverpool and Newcastle instead.

What is the team news?

Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield boss David Wagner will select from an unchanged squad for his side's last Premier League game of the season at home against Arsenal.

Wagner has no new injuries following Wednesday night's draw at Chelsea, which secured them another season in the top flight.

Tom Ince is hoping to feature after recovering from a hamstring injury, while Michael Hefele (knee), Elias Kachunga and Danny Williams (both ankle) remain sidelined.

Provisional squad: Lossl, Kongolo, Schindler, Jorgensen, Hadergjonaj, Hogg, Mooy, Van La Parra, Pritchard, Ince, Quaner, Mounie, Malone, Depoitre, Billing, Coleman, Lowe, Smith.

Arsenal

Arsenal will be without the suspended Konstantinos Mavropanos for Arsene Wenger's final game as manager when the Gunners travel to Huddersfield on the last day of the Premier League season.

The young defender was shown a straight red card in Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Leicester and will be forced to sit out the game in West Yorkshire having started the Gunners' last three league matches.

Mesut Ozil (back), Mohamed Elneny (ankle), Laurent Koscielny and Santi Cazorla (both Achilles) are also missing but the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Jack Wilshere could return after sitting out in midweek.

Provisional squad: Cech, Ospina, Bellerin, Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Nelson, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Willock, Wilshere, Ramsey, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck, Lacazette, Nketiah, Aubameyang.

What are they saying?

David Wagner on Arsene Wenger

"I can't imagine that this can happen again, so this only shows he has done something extraordinary," Wagner said.

"Words don't describe enough how big this achievement is which he has done for his football club and football in this country.

"I'm so happy that we are able to host him in his last Premier League game after 22 years, that we are able to host him in these circumstances, we really can give him all the honour and all the attention he deserves.

"This is possible after our last result on Wednesday and we as a football club will do it. We have the biggest respect for what he has done and we're happy we play our last game against him."

Wenger on the Emirates

"We had to do it," he said, when asked if he would take back the stadium move in exchange for trophies.

"There is no club that can turn people who wanted to attend the game down. At the time I thought we were a bit too ambitious with 60,000 (capacity) but at the end of the day it worked," he said.

"It's not really happened because other clubs have used outside resources. We had a double handicap. We had to pay back the debt and had to face the competition where clubs have even more resources than they usually have.

"I believe Highbury had a special spirit. It's a cathedral, a church. You could smell the soul of every guy that played there. So it was special. It will always be special for me.

"The Emirates for me was like buying a new house. It took us a while to feel at home there. It's a fantastic stadium - but there was something special at Highbury that you could never recreate when you build something new.

What are the odds?

• Huddersfield 19/4

• Arsenal - 4/7

• Draw - 18/5

What's our prediction?

Jason Burt: There is nothing riding on Arsene Wenger’s last match in charge of Arsenal except for one thing – can he really end the season as the only manager in English football not to gain any points away from home in 2018? Surely the Arsenal players will not let that happen while Huddersfield, safe from relegation, may still be on that party bus.

Prediction: 1-3