Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a 38th-minute winner as Arsenal defeated an upbeat Huddersfield Town 1-0 in Arsene Wenger's last game in charge on Sunday.
Aubameyang latched onto an Aaron Ramsay pass across goal and used his poaching instincts to grab his fourth goal in three Premier League games in what was an emotional day at the John Smith's Stadium.
Honourable welcome for Arsene Wenger
Arsene Wenger was greeted warmly by fans outside the stadium and the players inside the stadium as he made his way onto the pitch between a guard of honour formed by the Huddersfield squad.
After Huddersfield secured their Premier League safety on Wednesday with a battling 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the home crowd were as energetic as ever in the Yorkshire sunshine.
David Ospina was tested early on by Steve Mounie, who beat Hector Bellerin in the air before powering a dangerous header into the goalkeeper's grasp.
That was before Alex Pritchard put Tom Ince through one-on-one with Ospina, but the winger awfully fired his shot way over the crossbar from close range. It should've been 1-0.
The tributes kept on coming for Arsene Wenger, who is leaving the Gunners after 22 years at the helm, during the match.
A, for once, positive banner reading ‘Merci Arsène - #oneArsèneWenger – Arsenal Legend’ was flown over the stadium which Wenger evidently saw and waved to the away crowd afterwards.
Then there was minute’s applause with 22 minutes gone which was previously arranged by Huddersfield in respect for the French boss.
Aubameyang uses poacher instinct again
It's rarely good news for you if Arsenal begin to grow into the game, and that's exactly what happened in the later stages of the first-half here as they took a lead with their first real chance of proceedings.
The goal resembled vintage ‘Wenger ball’ - fitting - between Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexandre Lacazette on the edge of the box before Lacazette played Ramsay through on goal down the left of the box.
Jonas Lossl over-committed which helped the Welshman slip a pass underneath his body and across the face of goal for Aubameyang to pass into an empty net.
The Gabonese internationals goal was his 10th in the Premier League for Arsenal - a tally only Player of the Year Mohamed Salah has bettered in the same period with 13 after bagging his record-breaking 32nd of the campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
Dean Whitehead handed swansong
Ince got the supporters of their seats on the hour mark as he burst into the left side of the box and fizzed a powerful, low strike towards the opposite corner, but Ospina got down brilliantly to prevent what looked like a certain equaliser.
A few of half-chances sprung up for the Gunners with about 10 minutes left on the clock. First, Mathias Zanka had to make a last-ditch block to deny Ramsay's goal-bound effort from inside the box.
Then Lössl made two strong one-one-one stops; first to deny Lacazette’s attempted dink which was easier than the French striker obviously planned, then to stop substitute who found himself with just the 'keeper to beat inside the box.
'Deano' rang out as Dean Whitehead inherited the captain's armband from Jonathan Hogg in the 85th minute for his final appearance as a professional footballer before joining David Wagner's backroom staff at the Terriers next season.
Mooy effort gives Ospina a late scare
Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy clipped the top of Ospina’s crossbar with an audacious long-range attempt as stoppage time approached which was the closest the home side came to equalising. And that was to be the last real chance of the match.
Referee Michael Oliver blew the full-time whistle on the match which ended 1-0 Arsenal, and the final whistle on Arsène Wenger’s glistening career as manager of the North London club.