For the 60,000 relieved fans at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's win over Queens Park Rangers on Boxing Day needed no extra significance.

The three points, earned despite Olivier Giroud's moment of madness, were of vital importance in the race for Champions League football.

But, when the dust settles, the 2-1 win against a team who haven't picked up a single point away from home this season will be remembered less for the action, and more for its historic nature.

It has not been all plain sailing for Arsene Wenger, but on Boxing Day he recorded his 600th Arsenal victory

Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the first goal as Arsenal beat QPR, Wenger's 400th Premier League win

Friday's result was Arsene Wenger's 600th win as Arsenal boss, and, remarkably, also his 400th Premier League victory at the club.

Sportsmail looks back at Wenger's 10 most important wins since his first, a 2-0 win over Blackburn in October 1996.

1) Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal, March 14 1998

At Christmas in Wenger's first full season in charge of Arsenal the Gunners were 12 points behind league leaders Manchester United, out of the UEFA Cup, and scarcely better than mid-table.

Then began a run that saw them go unbeaten in the league until the title was secure. And, at the heart of that run, a crucial win at Old Trafford that turned the momentum in the title race.

Marc Overmars slides the ball past Peter Schmeichel to earn a huge win in the 1997/98 title race

After beating United, Wenger went on to win the double, announcing himself in English football

Alex Manninger put in a superb display in goal to deny United, and Andy Cole in particular, before Marc Overmars scored a brilliant goal to seal an iconic win.

It wasn't Wenger's first triumph over Sir Alex Ferguson, but it may have been his most crucial. Before the game Arsenal were nine points behind United, albeit with three games in hand. After it they were in control of the title race, and would never relax their grip on Wenger's first trophy at the club.

MANAGERS WITH MOST PREMIER LEAGUE WINS Manager G W D L GF GA Win % Alex Ferguson 810 528 168 114 1627 703 65.2 Arsene Wenger 694 400 173 121 1306 662 57.6 Harry Redknapp 636 236 165 235 815 838 37.1 David Moyes 461 190 129 142 624 543 41.2 Sam Allardyce 417 145 113 159 502 567 34.8 Rafael Benitez 254 141 61 52 422 209 55.5 Martin O'Neill 359 130 115 114 474 447 36.2 Jose Mourinho 176 124 35 17 326 107 70.5 Gerard Houllier 249 118 65 66 396 262 47.4 Kevin Keegan 267 116 65 86 409 317 43.4 Mark Hughes 326 116 89 121 418 425 35.6 Kenny Dalglish 238 115 60 63 362 239 48.3 David O'Leary 260 112 69 79 367 307 43.1 Alan Curbishley 328 108 85 135 381 472 32.9 Steve Bruce 372 105 105 162 387 489 28.2 George Graham 287 102 91 94 338 297 35.5

2) Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal, May 8 2002

Winning the Premier League title at the home of your great rivals became something of a trademark for Wenger in the first half of his time in charge.

Four years after his first double, Wenger took his side to Old Trafford knowing a win would seal a second, the FA Cup having been secured four days earlier.

Sylvain Wiltord scores the winning goal as Arsenal won the Premier League title at Old Trafford

The Arsenal squad celebrate winning the league at the home of their closest rivals to complete the double

Not only did Arsenal beat United on their own ground to win the title, they did it with grace and quality, against a graceless, and sometimes downright violent side.

It felt, at the time, like the supreme victory for Wenger's football philosophy.

3) Inter Milan 1-5 Arsenal, November 25 2003

Under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal have under-performed in the Champions League. The 2004 Invincibles were probably the best team English football has ever seen, but could not bring home the biggest prize.

And, even while they were going unbeaten at home, Wenger's side had suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Inter in the group stages that season.

Thierry Henry celebrates his magnificent goal as Arsenal ran riot at the San Siro to progress

Brazilian midfielder Edu scored the fourth goal as the Gunners came up with a late flurry of goals

But, come November, the Gunners, without a host of first team stars, arrived in Milan needing a win to progress - and produced probably their greatest European performance under Wenger.

Against an in-form Inter side, Arsenal scored five times, including a stunner from Thierry Henry that encapsulated the pace and quality of that side at its best.

Late goals put a gloss on the scoreline, but it was a superb performance that gave the season huge momentum.

Sol Campbell tackles Andy van der Meyde in the San Siro as Arsenal progressed from the group stage

4) Arsenal 2-1 Leicester City, May 15 2004

As a game in itself, the win over Leicester was not hugely remarkable - except perhaps as another example of how the Invicibles refused to be beaten.

Wenger and Henry lift the Premier League trophy after going an entire league season unbeaten

This win wasn't as impressive as some of Arsenal's other performances, but it sealed the record

But, aside from being a come-from-behind victory, this was important as the game that sealed the unbeaten season. P38. L0. It will almost certainly never be repeated.

5) Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal, February 21 2006

The closest Arsene Wenger has ever come to winning European football's biggest prize came in 2006, when two late Barcelona goals denied Arsenal in Paris.

But along the way, the Gunners had some magical moments, not least this superb victory in the Bernabeu.

Cesc Fabregas protects the ball from Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen as Arsenal bossed the Bernabeu

Henry's stunning solo goals secured one of the most impressive wins in Wenger's European career

It was a dominant display against the giants of the European game, the highlight of which was a stunning solo goal from Thierry Henry.

6) Arsenal 4-2 Wigan Athletic, May 7 2006

Leaving Highbury with anything but a win was inconceivable. Securing Champions League football at the same time looked improbable.

But with West Ham beating north-London rivals Spurs 2-1 (thanks in part to a bout of food poisoning in the Tottenham camp) Arsenal's win put them in the top four yet again, keeping Wenger's proud record alive.

Henry kisses the Highbury pitch goodbye after completing his hat-trick, and the perfect send-off

Wenger shakes hands with Arsenal fans after the last ever game at Highbury against Wigan

A hat-trick from Henry was the perfect way to say goodbye to the old stadium, where Wenger became a legend, in style.

7) Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United, January 21 2007

A new stadium needs to be more than bricks and mortar - it takes a bit of time for it to feel like home.

The Emirates may have a reputation for being quiet and corporate, but it has its moments in terms of atmosphere, and this was perhaps the first.

Henry gets between Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to score the stoppage-time winner for Arsenal

Henry ran straight to Wenger to celebrate the turnaround against Manchester United with his manager

Arsenal were 1-0 down to a Wayne Rooney goal with seven minutes to play for Robin van Persie equalised. Then, in stoppage time, Henry powered a header past Edwin van der Sar to win the game.

For the first time the Emirates really and truly erupted. The ground began to feel like more than an expensive new stadium.

8) Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona, February 16 2011

In the last few years Arsenal have had to get used to playing some of the best teams in the world early in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

For a brief period in 2011, they looked like that might not be too much of a problem. A year previously Lionel Messi had ripped Wenger's side apart at the Nou Camp, and when David Villa gave Barca the lead, it looked as though the European dream was over for another year.

A young Jack Wilshere holds off the tackle of Barcelona legend Xavi as Arsenal beat the world's best side

Four Arsenal defenders crowd out Lionel Messi as Wenger's side rode their luck to beat Barca

But Arsenal bounced back, led by a strong performance from Jack Wilshere in midfield, to win with goals from Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin.

Undoubtedly the Gunners rode their luck. But, thanks to this win they were only a harsh red card away from defeating the best team in the world over two legs. Wenger could still produce the big results.

Andrei Arshavin can scarcely believe it after scoring against Barcelona to give Arsenal the lead

9) Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham, February 26 2012

When former hero turned arch-nemesis Emanuel Adebayor put Spurs 2-0 up at the Emirates, Wenger's side were, as it stood, 13 points behind their rivals in the league.

The Arsenal manager has a proud record not only of European qualification, but also of finishing as the top team in North London every season. That record was under threat.

Robin van Persie scores a brilliant equaliser as Arsenal came from behind to win 5-2 against Tottenham

Step forward Bacary Sagna, who scored a rare goal to bring hope, before Van Persie found an equaliser.

In the second half Arsenal were excellent, Tomas Rosicky putting them in the lead, and a Theo Walcott double securing the points.

The Gunners would finish fourth, a single point ahead of their rivals, and this was, undoubtedly, the turning point.

Tomas Rosicky celebrates putting Arsenal into the lead, having come from two goals down

Theo Walcott completes the rout, completely turning the momentum of both sides' season

10) Arsenal 3-2 Hull City, May 17 2014

The first half of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal career gave him job security - the second half brought pressure.

By last May, with a nine-year trophy drought hanging over him, the great man's legacy hung in the balance. He needed a win.

Arsenal players mob Aaron Ramsey after the Welshman's goal secured Wenger's fifth FA Cup

Wenger lifts the FA Cup, ending the high-profile trophy drought at Wembley last May

But the unthinkable happened, and Arsenal found themselves two goals down - and it could have been more had Kieran Gibbs not spectacularly cleared off the line. Wenger's side were in disarray.

Had the game ended with that scoreline Wenger's time might well have been up. But Santi Cazorla's brilliant free-kick, Laurent Koscielny's scruffy equaliser and Aaron Ramsey's extra-time winner turned it around.