Friday 19 August 2016 19:49, UK
The brand new Friday Night Football show kicks off this week, when Manchester United host Southampton - but it's not the first time Premier League football has been played on a Friday.
Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley will host the encounter at Old Trafford - live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 6.30pm - with more Friday night action to come later in the season.
This week's match will be just the eighth time in Premier League history that a fixture has been played on a Friday night outside of the holiday season, and here we look back on the previous encounters - featuring a Chelsea v Manchester United classic and Arsenal’s legendary Invincibles...
Middlesbrough 0-0 Chelsea (December 11, 1992)
Middlesbrough’s former ground Ayresome Park was the unlikely setting for the first ever Premier League fixture on a Friday night. Glenn Hoddle’s Chelsea came into the game full of confidence after four consecutive wins, but the hosts held firm to claim a point.
Chelsea eventually finished in 11th place that season, while Boro were relegated. The Teessiders spent the following two years in the second tier, before returning to the Premier League the year they moved to the Riverside Stadium in 1995.
Man City 1-1 Coventry City (August 27, 1993)
Manchester City had failed to win any of their opening four games when Coventry visited Maine Road on a Friday night in August 1993, while Coventry were unbeaten after a strong start.
City took the lead through former striker Mike Sheron, but they were denied their first win of the campaign when United States international Roy Wegerle struck an equaliser five minutes from time.
Ipswich Town 2-2 Wimbledon (December 16, 1994)
Lowly Ipswich had lost 13 of their opening 18 games when Wimbledon came to town in December 1994. Dons striker Dean Holdsworth put the visitors ahead after two minutes, but Simon Milton pulled Ipswich back on level terms shortly afterwards.
Jon Goodman re-established Wimbledon’s lead after the break, but Ipswich battled back again as Steve Sedgley’s 83rd-minute goal clinched a point for the hosts.
Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd (August 23, 2002)
Ryan Giggs scored his 100th goal for Manchester United to earn a point for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in this pulsating encounter at Stamford Bridge in the second week of the 2002/03 season.
Earlier, William Gallas had given Chelsea the perfect start with an early goal, but David Beckham levelled when he controlled Mikael Silvestre’s raking pass and curled home a stunning finish. Chelsea went back in front thanks to Boudewijn Zenden’s excellent strike, but Giggs’s clipped finish over Carlo Cudicini ensured it was honours even.
Arsenal 3-2 Newcastle (September 26, 2003)
Just five days after the infamous ‘Battle of Old Trafford’ in which tempers boiled over between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford, the Gunners got back to winning ways against Newcastle at Highbury.
Thierry Henry’s opener was cancelled out by Laurent Robert in a first half in which Arsenal lost Patrick Vieira to injury. Gilberto Silva restored Arsenal’s lead before Olivier Bernard struck for Newcastle, and the match appeared to be heading for a draw until Henry hit his second from the penalty spot.
Arsenal 5-0 Leeds (April 16, 2004)
This was the ‘Invincibles’ at their thrilling best. Arsene Wenger’s men were unbeaten in 34 Premier League games when Leeds visited Highbury in April 2004, and they blew the visitors away in stunning style. Robert Pires opened the scoring to give the Gunners an early lead, then Henry took over.
The iconic Frenchman had scored a hat-trick in Arsenal’s previous home game against Liverpool, but he went one better against Leeds, smashing four goals in the space of 40 minutes either side of half-time. “It's difficult to find each time new words for Thierry,” said Wenger afterwards. The Gunners went on to clinch the title undefeated, while Leeds were relegated without winning another game.
Aston Villa 0-1 Man Utd (August 14, 2015)
Adnan Januzaj proved to be the hero for United in this fixture last season - shortly before being shipped out on loan to Borussia Dortmund. It was a rare highlight in a frustrating season for the young Belgian - but his winner signaled the start of a horrendous run of form from the hosts, who'd end the season relegated from the Premier League for the first time.
Villa had beaten Bournemouth on the opening weekend but Januzaj's strike just before the half-hour mark sparked a run of 14 defeats and five draws. The Midlanders did not win again in the league until January. They finished the season with just three victories from 38 matches, rock bottom of the league. United, meanwhile, ended up fifth.
