Sanchez signs Arsenal fought off interest from Liverpool and Juventus to net Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez in a deal anticipated to be in the region of £35million. The 25-year-old joins up with his new team after scoring two goals for Chile at the World Cup.

Community Shield 'glory'... After waiting around nine years for a trophy, two come along at once. Arsenal impress in a comfortable 3-0 victory against league champions City, with Cazorla, Ramsey and Giroud all finding the net.

Welbeck signs on Wenger pounces when Van Gaal tells the press that Welbeck is “not good enough” for a place in his starting XI, signing the former United trainee for £16million. In doing so they see off competition from numerous Premier League clubs, including north London rivals Tottenham.

Late agony against City Arsenal are unable to repeat their Community Shield success when a late Martin Demichelis header earns Manchester City a point in the fourth game of the season.

Out of the Capital One Cup Southampton emerge victorious in a pulsating Capital One Cup tie in which Arsenal had led, thanks to a superb Alexis Sanchez free-kick. It was Southampton’s first win against Arsenal since 2002.

Derby blushes spared Arsenal dominate the first North London derby of the season against Tottenham, but struggle to break down their rivals. It looks as though Nacer Chadli’s second-half goal will rob Arsenal, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain equalises with 15 minutes left.

Wenger loses the plot with Mourinho Chelsea are the first team to beat Arsenal in the league, with a comfortable 2-0 victory that strengthened their position at the top whilst consigning Arsenal to eighth position. On the touchline, a furious Wenger squares up to Mourinho, a man he has failed to beat in the last 12 games between them.

Champions League hopes take a dent Arsenal virtually secure qualification from Group D of the Champion’s League, but blow any chance of rivaling Borussia Dortmund for top spot when they allow Anderlecht to snatch a remarkable draw. Arsenal surrender a 3-0 lead with only half an hour of the game to go.

Home record demolished by United Arsenal lose a match at the Emirates for the first time this season, in a game that also marked Louis van Gaal’s first victory for Manchester United on the road. After 12 games, Arsenal are in a disappointing eighth place.

Marching on in Europe Arsenal put in a fine performance as they defeat Group D leaders Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home. Sanchez nets his third goal of the competition, after the much maligned Yaya Sanogo opens the scoring.

Meltdown in Southampton Arsenal lose to Southampton for the second time in a year, this time falling to a 2-0 league defeat at St Mary’s. An irate Arsenal fan, part of a growing contingent calling for Wenger’s dismissal, runs over to the dug-out to angrily remonstrate with the manager; in the aftermath, Wojciech Szczesny sparks up a cigarette in the showers and is disciplined by the club, losing his first-team place.

Nervy day in Brighton Arsenal are 2-0 up within the space of 25 minutes, and it looks as though their progression into the fifth round of the FA Cup is a mere formality. But Brighton give them a fright, twice scoring and forcing the cup holders to cling on for victory.

Paulista signs on In a deal which sees the highly-rated Joel Campbell move the other way on loan, Arsenal sign 24-year-old Brazilian defender Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal. The defender sustains a hamstring injury just four games into his time at Arsenal.

Villa hit for five Arsenal begin their climb up the table with a fine 5-0 victory at home to struggling Villa. The victory moves them above Tottenham, with four of the goals coming in a domineering second half performance.

Derby despair A Mesut Ozil goal to the good with nearly an hour on the clock, Arsenal look in control of this fixture. Step forward Harry Kane. The young Spurs striker finds an equaliser before heading a winner late on, with Arsenal dropping out of the European places.

Self-destruction against Monaco Arsenal’s lowest point of the season. The Emirates is reduced to stunned silence when Yannick Ferreira Carrasco scores a third Monaco goal moments after Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back for Arsenal, to leave Wenger’s team facing an uphill struggle to qualify.

Welbeck haunts United Who else? Danny Welbeck hits the Arsenalwinner against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the quarter-final of the FA Cup to lift some of the gloom caused by that Monaco result.

Too little too late in France Monaco attempt to shut up shop for 90 minutes against Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 decider and, although they don’t exactly succeed, they go through anyway. Arsenal can only win by two, meaning that Monaco’s three away goals in in the first leg takes them through.

Liverpool humiliated Arsenal’s league form throughout February, March and April is nothing short of sensational. They lose only once, with the highlight of this spell arguably their crushing 4-1 victory against Liverpool, which includes a sublime free-kick by Mesut Ozil. Their run of seven wins in seven games, following the loss to Tottenham, lifts them to second.

Eight wins in eight Arsenal extend their winning run to an impressive eight matches. An early Aaron Ramsey goal sees off a Burnley side battling valiantly for Premier League survival.

Cup nail-biter Arsenal see off a spirited Reading side to progress to their second FA Cup final in as many years. Sanchez wins the game when his fizzing shot squirms agonisingly under the hapless body of Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici.

'Boring' Mourinho wins war of words Chelsea effectively win the title at the Emirates as they stifle Arsenal in the pursuit of a 0-0 draw. Wenger - and the Emirates crowd - accuse Mourinho of setting up Chelsea to play boring football. “You know, boring I think is 10 years without a title. That's very boring,” Mourinho replies.