A penalty scored by Henry against Middlesbrough ensured a fifth successive league win for Arsenal. They were held to a stalemate against Derby County; this was followed by defeat at Goodison Park away to Everton in which Wenger called the team performance as "not acceptable". Arsenal lost their second consecutive league match against Leeds United when a deflected Olivier Dacourt free-kick went past goalkeeper Alex Manninger and into his net. A win against Southampton came before a 5–0 victory at home to Newcastle United where Ray Parlour scored a hat-trick.
