Arsene Wenger enjoyed a triumphant finale to his 22-year reign as Arsenal manager as the Gunners beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 on the last day of the Premier League season.
The Terriers were playing freely after securing their top-flight status in midweek and created a series of early chances, the best of which was squandered by Tom Ince.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game on 38 minutes, finishing off a stylish move which was typical of the football that Wenger brought to Arsenal.
The Gunners had to ride their luck in stoppage time to seal their first away points of 2018, as Aaron Mooy hit the crossbar and Laurent Depoitre went close with a header.
Relive how Wenger's swansong unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
The end of the season is nigh, and so is Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign as Arsenal manager which will end this afternoon following his 1,235th and final game in charge as his side travel to relegation beaters Huddersfield Town. Can the Gunners give him a send-off to remember?
HUDDERSFIELD: Lossl; Hadergjonaj, Zanka, Schindler, Kongolo; Mooy, Hogg; Lowe, Pritchard, Ince; Mounie
Subs: Coleman, Smith, Whitehead, Sabiri, Stankovic, Depoitre
Subs: Coleman, Smith, Whitehead, Sabiri, Stankovic, Depoitre
ARSENAL: Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Ramsey; Iwobi, Mkhitaryan; Aubameyang; Lacazette
Subs: Macey, Maitland-Niles, Mertesacker, Monreal, Willock, Welbeck, Nketiah
Subs: Macey, Maitland-Niles, Mertesacker, Monreal, Willock, Welbeck, Nketiah
Wenger's final Arsenal lineup includes four changes from the side that lost 3-1 to Leicester City in midweek. Young defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is suspended as a result of his early red card against the Foxes, so Shkodran Mustafi gets a recall in the heart of the back four.
David Ospina also gets an opportunity in goal as Petr Cech is left out of the squad, while Hector Bellerin comes into a defence which is missing captain Laurent Koscielny to a long-term knee injury which will cost him his shot at World Cup glory with France this summer.
Alexandre Lacazette is back in the forward line at the expense of Danny Welbeck who drops to the bench. That means Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose nine league goals in 12 matches since his debut in February is bettered only by Liverpool's serial award-winner Mohamed Salah.
There might be a double farewell in the Arsenal camp today, with long-serving club captain Per Mertesacker among the subs, although the big German has already been granted his Emirates curtain call. At the other end of the spectrum, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Eddie Nketiah are on the bench.
Huddersfield boss David Wanger has also had a bit of a final-day juggle, making four changes from the side that earned that crucial point at Chelsea on Wednesday. Goalscoring hero Laurent Depoitre may have celebrated too heavily as Steve Mounie is recalled in his place up front.
Wagner's three other changes see Tom Ince and Alex Pritchard return as the creative force in midfield, with Philip Billing and Rajiv van La Parra dropping out. Florent Hadergjonaj, who has enjoyed a fine second half of the season, is also preferred to club captain Tommy Smith at full-back.
Huddersfield could see a sentimental goodbye of their own today, should Dean Whitehead make a cameo off the bench. The 36-year-old midfielder, who has spent the last three years with the Terriers, announced earlier this week that he will be hanging up his boots following today's match.
Elias Kachunga and Danny Williams are still missing for Huddersfield, but the midweek point at Chelsea ensured that both they and the rest of the Huddersfield squad will get another chance to play Arsenal next season, courtesy of a quite remarkable top-flight survival story.
The Terriers were heavy favourites to return straight to the Championship following their promotion via the playoffs last May. One year later, Town are four points clear of the relegation zone on the final day of the season and can enjoy the visit of the Gunners without any unwanted nerves.
Huddersfield's survival has been achieved despite some rather unimpressive numbers. Only Swansea (27), who are likely to be the team to suffer from Town's escape, have scored fewer league goals than than their 28 this season, which has included only three goals in their last nine outings.
The Terriers have failed to score in 20 of their 37 matches this campaign. Only Derby County (22 games in 2007-08) and Leeds United (21 in 1996-97) have a worse record in Premier League history.
David Wagner's side made a brilliant start to life in the top flight with back-to-back wins in August, and that has proved crucial because their post-Christmas form has been very poor. The Terriers have won just three of their last 19 league games, drawing seven and losing nine.
Remarkably, Wenger is still managing firsts in his 1,235th game as Arsenal boss, as this is his maiden visit to the John Smith's Stadium. Huddersfield have put on a nice welcome for the Frenchman...
Although the Gunners put on a show for Wenger's home swansong with a 5-0 thrashing of Burnley, the 68-year-old is hardly going out with a bang. Arsenal have only won one of their last five matches in all competitions, drawing one and losing three including his final trip to the old enemy at Old Trafford.
Their away form has been particularly awful in Wenger's final months in charge, with the Londoners the only team in English league football not to pick up a single point on the road in 2018. The Gunners have lost seven consecutive top-flight away matches for the first time since January 1966.
In fact, Arsenal would be 16th in the table based only on away results this season; having managed only three wins all campaign - at Everton, Burnley and Crystal Palace. Relegated West Bromwich Albion have managed as many league victories on their travels in the same period.
at home, only Manchester City have earned more points than the Gunners' 47.
Thirty-one of Arsenal's 51 goals conceded have been away from home, with that total tally of more than half a century the most that the Gunners have leaked in the Premier League era. So, defensive solidity and away form are two areas that the new manager has to improve straight away.
In contrast, the Gunners are second in the home table with 15 wins from 19 and a whopping 54 goals scored. Only runaway champions Manchester City (50) have earned more points than Arsenal's 47.
As Arsenal prepare to say goodbye to their greatest ever manager, who is seeking his 716th win from 1,234 matches at the helm, let's take a look back at some of his highlights as Gunners boss...
BEST SIGNING: Cases can be made for the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, but Wenger's first signing at Arsenal may have been his best - Patrick Vieira from AC Milan for £3.5m. The French midfielder was the midfield powerhouse that Wenger's early success was built around.
BEST TEAM: Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Campbell, Cole; Pires, Vieira, Petit, Overmars; Bergkamp
That team would give Pep Guardiola's boys a serious game. What is noticeable though is that none of those players are from the last decade of Wenger's reign. Alexis Sanchez was probably the closest to forcing his way in, but Marc Overmars was absolute fire in his short time in North London.
BEST MOMENT: Winning the title at Tottenham is something that Arsenal fans will take to their graves, but, in terms of a wider achievement, the Invincible season is simple unmatchable. That 2003-04 record of 38 games, 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 defeats might be Wenger's lasting legacy.
Around 10 minutes until kickoff on the Premier League's final day. With relegation decided, unless there is a 10-goal swing between doomed Swansea and Southampton, all eyes are on the top-four race where Chelsea are poised to punish any slip up that Liverpool have at home to Brighton.
Follow any of our other live Premier League commentaries, including both Chelsea and Liverpool, here.
HEAD TO HEAD: Arsenal are unbeaten in the last nine meetings in all competitions, winning seven and drawing two. Huddersfield's most recent victory in this fixture came at home in January 1971.
Arsenal's 5-0 rout of Huddersfield at the Emirates in November is their heaviest league win of the season so far. However, the scorers of four of those goals - Olivier Giroud (2), Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are nowhere to be seen today.
Speaking of Ozil, the German playmaker is conspicuous by his absence again today. Wenger has claimed that the World Cup winner is suffering from a back injury, but there have been accusations that he has been picking and choosing his games. His time with the Gunners could be up too, this summer.
PREDICTION: Huddersfield cannot possibly play with the same intensity that they did against Chelsea, with nothing on the line this afternoon. This is far from the best team that Wenger has fielded as Arsenal manager but it should be enough to see him off with a 3-1 win.
KICKOFF: We are underway at the John Smith's Stadium which should have a party atmosphere today for a number of reasons...
SAVE! Huddersfield have begun on the front foot and have already fashioned a chance for Mounie, with Pritchard standing up a cross for a header which Ospina pushes away with a theatrical dive.
OFF THE LINE! Arsenal are living on the edge in these opening minutes, with Christopher Schindler meeting a corner with a towering header which requires a block from Rob Holding on the line. The Arsenal defender gets his body in the way of Kongolo's follow-up effort too.
UPDATE: It has been a lively start in Yorkshire, but nothing compared to what is happening at Wembley where it is 1-1 between Leicester and Spurs with Harry Kane having already bagged one in his Golden Boot pursuit. Keep up to date with all of the Premier League's live scores here.
There is stoppage in play here with Mustafi requiring treatment after clocking an elbow from Mounie...
MISS! Huddersfield should be ahead with Ince lashing over the crossbar from 12 yards after Pritchard had made the most of a hopeful ball into the right channel with a pinpoint cutback.
SHOT! The same combination links up again to create another decent opening for Huddersfield, with Ince firing a left-footed shot not far wide of the near post while being forced away from goal.
Arsenal enjoy their first decent break on the counter-attack - which is a mark of how well Huddersfield have started here - but captain-for-the-day Aaron Ramsey failed to pick out Lacazette.
UPDATE: There has been another goal at Wembley where Leicester have regained the lead over Spurs through Riyad Mahrez. Could the Algerian be a transfer target for new-era Arsenal in the summer?
Arsenal waste a free kick in a good position, 22 yards out and to the left of centre, making it perfect for the right foot of Mkhitaryan who sends his effort straight into the wall.
An ugly 25-yard volley from Ramsey, after the ball broke to him from a corner, finds row Z. The Welshman has seven league goals this season but won't be adding to that tally today with efforts like that.
As the clock strikes 22 minutes, Arsenal's fans begin a round of applause to celebrate Wenger's 22 years in charge. The Huddersfield supporters soon join in, a mark of the respect Wenger commands.
UPDATE: It has been a big couple of minutes in the top-four race, with Chelsea falling behind at Newcastle and Liverpool taking a 1-0 lead over Brighton through Mohamed Salah, of course.
CHANCE! Poor defending from Huddersfield somehow allows a Xhaka corner to reach Kolasniac at the back post, and the Bosnian knocks the ball wide from eight yards at the back post.
It is now Huddersfield's turn to swing in a set piece, and, for the umpteenth time already this afternoon, Mounie wins the header but he is too far from goal to really trouble Ospina who sweeps up easily.
SHOT! Arsenal produce their best move of the match so far as firstly Lacazette and then Aubameyang shift the ball inside to Mkhitaryan whose 20-yard half-volley is deflected wide for a corner.
The visitors are gradually improving here after a slow start. Ramsey releases Iwobi down the right wing, but Kongolo, who could be playing his last game for Huddersfield today as his loan from Monaco concludes, has the pace to keep up with the Nigerian, and he times his slide tackle perfectly.
Arsenal advance down the other flank now as Kolasniac gets to the byline, where Hadergjonaj has to come across to make the block. They had their chances in the early stages but now the Terriers are having to defend strongly to retain parity ahead of half time.
Mathias Jorgensen, also known as Zanka, is less than an hour away from completing every minute of the Premier League season, but that achievement is under threat here because the Danish defender has taken a nasty knock on the leg in a challenge from Granit Xhaka.
GOAL! HUDDERSFIELD 0-1 ARSENAL (PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG)
The Gunners grab the lead before the break and it is a typically stylish Wenger goal. Lacazette and Mkhitaryan work the ball nicely in a tight area before finding Ramsey on the overlap, and he lays the ball across goal for Aubameyang to convert on the stretch at the back post.
Arsenal's advantage may be short lived if they continue to defend Mounie this poorly. The striker wins another header from a set piece but the second ball does not quite fall for Ince as Xhaka clears.
The adrenaline that Huddersfield started the match with on the back of that Chelsea result has faded from their play and they are now looking a tired, end-of-season outfit. Fortunately for them, Arsenal seem content just to keep the ball and get to half time one up.
Pritchard knocks a hopeful ball in behind for Mounie, and a miscommunication between Ospina and Mustafi gave the striker a sniff, only for the goalkeeper to launch the ball clear to safety.
HALF TIME: HUDDERSFIELD 0-1 ARSENAL
It has hardly been a vintage Wenger performance, but the Gunners lead 1-0 at the interval through Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang's goal, which actually came at the end of the one piece of stylish football that Arsenal put together in a first half that Huddersfield largely had the better of.
The Terriers could have been three up inside 15 minutes had they taken their early chances, with Tom Ince most guilty of squandering his opportunity when he lashed over from 12 yards. According to the stats, Arsenal have had 66% possession but it has been far from one-way traffic.
One player that the new Arsenal manager will be thrilled to be inheriting is Aubameyang, who now has 10 goals in 13 matches since joining from Borussia Dortmund. Yo Pierre is a striker in his prime and should only go from strength to strength as he gets accustomed to English football.
UPDATE: Aubameyang will hope to challenge for the Golden Boot next season, but this season's is surely going to Mo Salah whose goal against Brighton has taken him three clear of Harry Kane again. Two more for the Liverpool man and he will break the 32-goal record for most in a 38-game Prem season.
LATEST: Liverpool's 2-0 half-time lead over Brighton, combined with Chelsea trailing at Newcastle, has all but sealed a top-four finish for Jurgen Klopp's side. Meanwhile, there will be no miracle escape for Swansea who trail Stoke, while Southampton are holding Man City to 0-0 at present.
BENCH WATCH: I have already mentioned possible emotional goodbyes in each camp - Mertesacker and Whitehead - but Depoitre might be an option for Huddersfield if they want to chase this game. Mounie has caused problems so providing him with a partner and going really direct could be the answer.
KICKOFF: Michael Olivier blows the whistle to signal the start of the final 45 minutes of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal reign. Both sides are unchanged from the first half as it stands...
Holding's mistake gives Mounie the chance to run into the box, but the Arsenal defender makes the recovery himself, holding up the striker as the visitors eventually quell the danger.
A cross from the left from Lowe takes a nick off Pritchard and nearly falls for Mounie, who is waiting for the bouncing ball to drop to him on the volley when Holding intervenes again.
A poor giveaway from Hogg at the other end presents Arsenal with a chance to break three-on-three, but a lazy pass from Aubameyang allows Lossl to gather at his near post.
Huddersfield work the ball out to Hadergjonaj, who loves to get forward down the right. Mounie is the obvious target in the box, and the striker tries to take on an ambitious overhead kick, despite having the beating of Arsenal in the air. A late attempt to win Goal of the Season perhaps.
Ospina needs some attention from the physio after a collision coming to collect a cross. With Cech not on the bench, rookie goalkeeper Matt Macey begins his warm up, butterflies in stomach I'm sure.
A heavy touch from Kolasniac forces him right to the byline and makes a potential cutback to Aubameyang that much harder. A combination of Lossl and Schindler block at the near post.
SAVE! Pritchard has been Huddersfield's best player today, and he shows lovely skill here to chest down a Mooy pass and slip in Ince with a clever reverse pass. The former Blackpool winger fires a low shot across goal which Ospina has to tip wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION: That proves to be Ince's last action of the afternoon, and of the season, as he is replaced by Depoitre to give Huddersfield even more of a presence up front.
With two big strikers to aim for, one would have thought that Huddersfield would go direct, but they pass the ball really nicely through midfield here to tee up Lowe for a cross which he knocks onto the roof of the net. It was a poor delivery but nearly gave Ospina some work to do.
Mounie gets away from Holding on the halfway line but is caught by the Arsenal defender in the process. Huddersfield would have been two-on-one had he stayed on his feet but the striker stumbles to ground and that gives Xhaka the chance to get back and the danger passes.
Matt Macey is on standby again as Ospina takes a clattering from Mounie while catching a deep cross aimed for the striker. Wenger is preparing two subs but the goalkeeper is not one of them.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Wenger's double change sees Monreal and Welbeck replace Aubameyang and Kolasinac.
Arsenal are hanging on here, with the two-pronged strike force having given Huddersfield fresh impetus and the wingers two big targets to hit in the box. The centre-backs come forward for corners too, and Zanka can only get the tip of his head to a corner, knocking it wide.
SUBSTITUTION: Wenger must have faith in Ospina's fitness because he has made his final change - replacing Iwobi with Maitland-Niles who has had a fine breakthrough season.
UPDATE: The top-four race is well and truly over now, with Liverpool 3-0 up on Brighton and Chelsea surrendering by the same scoreline at Chelsea. Spurs lead Leicester 5-4 in a remarkable final-day thriller at Wembley, but a Foxes goal would see Liverpool leapfrog Spurs into third.
The ever-present Zanka has been one of the stars of Huddersfield's season and he makes an important contribution here, showing great strength to hold off Ramsey as the Welshman threatened to pull the trigger in the box. A few clubs may be looking at the Dane in the summer.
Bellerin's risky clearing header nearly falls to Depoitre but Mustafi tidies up after his mess at the expense of a corner.
CHANCE! That was the opportunity for Arsenal to wrap the points up as Mkhitaryan feeds Lacazette to his right, only for the Frenchman to attempt a cute chipped finish which Lossl reads and catches well.
CHANCE! Now Welbeck spurns a chance for an Arsenal second as he runs through one-on-one with Ospina, only to stumble over his own feet and prod tamely at Lossl. Lacazette was square for a simple tap-in but Welbeck was determined to go himself.
The Gunners are knocking on the door now as Xhaka takes aim from range and is not far away.
I've missed a Huddersfield sub! Billing is for Mounie who looked shattered come the final 10 minutes.
SUBSTITUTION: And here comes another one, with Dean Whitehead on for his final professional appearance. The hard-working midfielder receives a very warm ovation from the home support. Jonathan Hogg makes way, soaking in the applause himself.
WOODWORK! Huddersfield do not deserve to lose this game but it appears as though it will not be their day, as Mooy's brilliant volley from Hadergjonaj's set up thunders off the crossbar.
There will be three minutes of added time. The 'There's only one Arsene Wenger' chants are signing him off...
CLOSE! Huddersfield come within inches of a late equaliser as Ospina saves from Depoitre's header at the second attempt, and clings on as Zanka tried to bundle home the rebound.
FULL TIME: HUDDERSFIELD 0-1 ARSENAL
Arsene Wenger signs off with a win as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's strike earns the Gunners their first away points of 2018. Their sixth-place finish is Arsenal's worst of Wenger's reign, so while today is a time to celebrate his legacy, there will equally be excitement about a new era at the Emirates.
Huddersfield will be a part of that having enjoyed a memorable first Premier League season, and in truth they were unfortunate not to finish it with at least a point from today's encounter.
You can read our match report on the action at the John Smith's Stadium here, and catch up with the rest of the final-day results here. That's it from me, and from Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League this season. Thanks for joining us. Can't wait for next year already!
