Kanu Nwankwo: Super Eagles Striker’s Hat-Trick vs Chelsea Picked As Greatest Ever In London Derby
- Kanu Nwankwo’s famous hat-trick vs Chelsea voted the greatest ever by an Arsenal player versus the Blues
- Popular English media star Piers Morgan recalls the dramatic 1999 comeback at Stamford Bridge
- Arsenal look to channel Kanu’s spirit ahead of their next trip to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday
When Arsenal fans talk about unforgettable moments, one match from 1999 always finds its way back into the conversation.
It was the day Kanu Nwankwo grabbed a victory out of nowhere, flipping a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
Source: Getty Images
Decades later, that performance has resurfaced, this time, recognised as the greatest hat-trick ever by former Super Eagles striker Kanu.
The conversation was reignited after Arsenal’s official X account shared a throwback clip of the goals.
It did not take long before lifelong Gunners supporter Piers Morgan jumped into the thread.
“Greatest hat-trick I’ve ever seen live,” his reaction was simple but loaded with emotion.
Morgan recalled the rain-soaked chaos, the tension, the disbelief, and the eruption that followed.
Arsenal were sinking, Chelsea were cruising, and then Kanu arrived and flipped the script.
A hat-trick that rewrote history
Kanu had joined Arsenal earlier that year from Inter Milan for £4.5 million, and at the time, it seemed like a modest signing.
Source: Getty Images
But on that October afternoon, the Super Eagles legend delivered a performance that etched his name into Premier League history books, as seen on the Premier League official website.
Coming off the bench with Arsenal 2-0 down, Kanu scored three goals in the final 15 minutes.
Each goal carried its own drama, but the last one still feels unreal even today, with Chelsea goalkeeper Ed de Goey rushing out, Kanu squeezed the ball from an impossible angle near the corner flag.
Rain poured, the away end exploded, and Arsenal completed one of the most dramatic comebacks in Premier League history.
Morgan also revisited the chants that thundered across the stands that day:
“Who needs Anelka when we’ve got Kanu?”
It was not just praise. It was the loud confirmation that Arsenal fans had found a new hero.
A moment that still inspires Arsenal
Many years have passed, but that hat-trick continues to define Kanu’s legacy at Highbury and beyond.
He went on to win two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and played a role in building the foundation of the unbeaten Invincibles.
As Arsenal prepare for another trip to Stamford Bridge this Sunday, the echoes of that famous comeback float back into conversation.
Mikel Arteta’s side will hope to tap into that same fighting spirit, especially with the chance to go nine points clear of Chelsea and strengthen their spot at the top of the Premier League table.
Arsenal hit with injury concern ahead of Chelsea trip
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has provided an injury update on Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the English Premier League clash against Chelsea on Sunday, November 30.
The Gunners have been without the Swedish forward for their last four matches, during which they recorded three wins and one draw. Arsenal have scored 12 goals in Gyokeres’ absence, with Eberechi Eze netting a hat-trick against rivals Tottenham on Sunday, November 23.
Source: Legit.ng
