Sheffield Wednesday were finally relegated to the First Division last night, but not before an amazing fightback had seen them almost snatch a Premiership lifeline.
The noise emanating from Wednesday's travelling brass band belied the seriousness of the task of their team, who surprisingly saw their leading scorer, Gilles De Bilde, relegated to the bench and Andy Booth and the youngster Alan Quinn entrusted with the striking duties.
With Dennis Bergkamp starting on the bench for Arsenal, Thierry Henry largely foraged alone up front, with Nwankwo Kanu in support. It was the prolific French striker who created an opening for himself after a desultory first halfhour.
There was little hint of danger to Wednesday's defence when Henry seized on a loose ball, sized up the opportunity and let fly from 25 yards with a low shot. Kevin Pressman was utterly beaten, but the ball rebounded from the near post.
Wednesday's sole response in the first half was a Booth header that David Seaman caught almost nonchalantly. It was a rare foray by a side whose shortage of goal power has plagued them all season.
Arsenal's first-half goal, when it did come, arrived from an unlikely source. Henry closed to the left byline, swept in a quick, low cross that eluded two defenders and a stretching Pressman, but Lee Dixon managed to retrieve the ball close to the right byline and from a most unpromising position managed to squeeze it into the net.
Bergkamp replaced Ray Parlour at half-time and the Dutchman began the second period by curling a free-kick straight at Pressman.
Finally the Owls made the necessary change, bringing on Gerald Sibon and Gilles De Bilde on 56 minutes for Haslam and Sonner.
It proved to be the most astute substitution of the season - and possibly manager Peter Shreeves' career - as both players scored within four minutes of coming on.
Sibon scored with his first touch, climbing above Patrick Vieira to head home Wim Jonk's cross after 58 minutes.
And just two minutes later De Bilde stunned Highbury with an amazing second, playing a one-two with Booth, nutmegging Martin Keown in the process, before slotting the ball past David Seaman.
Unbelievably the visitors then went 3-1 ahead when Alan Quinn collected De Bilde's through-ball, springing the offside trap, before rounding Seaman and stroking the ball into the empty net.
Substitute Silvinho made sure the Wednesday fans were in for an anxious final 12 minutes with his first goal for Arsenal, rifling a superb 25-yard shot into the top corner to make it 3-2.
And with just 10 minutes left Wednesday were once again on the brink of relegation as Henry added the latest twist to an extraordinary match. Bergkamp fed Marc Overmars down the left and when the ball was pulled back Henry fired in his 26th goal of the season.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Luzhny, Winterburn (Silvinho 63), Parlour (Bergkamp 46), Grimandi, Vieira, Overmars, Henry, Kanu. Subs Not Used: Manninger, Malz, Vernazza. Goals: Dixon 34, Silvinho 78, Henry 79.
Sheff Wed: Pressman, Atherton, Walker, Nolan, Hinchcliffe, Sonner (De Bilde 56), Jonk, Haslam (Sibon 56), Horne (Briscoe 83), Booth, Quinn. Subs Not Used: Humphreys, Srnicek. Goals: Sibon 58, De Bilde 60, Quinn 70.
Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
