5 best Arsenal free-kick goals of the Emirates era

Declan Rice wrote his name into Arsenal folklore on Tuesday night as he fired in two brilliant free kicks in his side's 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The midfielder stepped up just before the hour mark to curl a sublime effort round Madrid's wall and beat Thibaut Courtois from 30 yards out before finding the top corner with an even better strike just 12 minutes later. His two goals were the first the Gunners had scored from a direct free kick since Martin Odegaard did so against Burnley in September 2021.

Rice ended a long drought by netting two of the best free kicks I've seen in a long time, and that got me thinking... Before that lengthy spell without a goal, Arsenal had fired in some brilliant free kicks over the years. Here are the five best of the Emirates era.

5. Robin van Persie vs Sunderland (October 2007)

With Arsenal top of the Premier League table in the early stages of the season, they welcomed Roy Keane's Sunderland to the Emirates, and it didn't take long for Robin van Persie to make himself the star.

Just seven minutes in, the Dutchman stepped up to take a free kick from around 20 yards out and fired a powerful effort that struck the crossbar before bouncing over the line, leaving Craig Gordon helpless in the Black Cats' goal.

It wasn't the best placed free kick with it more flying over the 'keeper's head but nothing can beat that sweet sound and sight of the ball rattling the crossbar before ending up in the back of the net. Van Persie's effort certainly was something special.

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