Wenger to manage 1,000th match at Arsenal: PHOTOS - His 4 best moments with the club

Arsene Wenger will join elite company when his Arsenal side visit Chelsea on Saturday, as the 64-year-old will become just the fourth manager in the history of English football to reach the 1,000-match plateau with the same club.

The Frenchman called the milestone a "privilege and an honour" during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Since arriving in North London in 1996, Wenger's remarkable run of longevity - which now stands at 17 years (and counting) - has seen him guide the Gunners to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.

But, as noted by The Guardian, Wenger had to work for his fanfare, facing no shortage of doubters upon his arrival at Highbury.

...the Evening Standard asked "Arsène Who?" but the Arsenal board went for Wenger. Club captain Tony Adams was unimpressed: "At first, I thought, what does this Frenchman know about football? He wears glasses and looks more like a schoolteacher. He's not going to be as good as George Graham. Does he even speak English properly?"

Seventeen years - and 153 other Premier League managers - later, it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about football.

In photos, here are four of the best moments from Wenger's time at Arsenal...

The Invincibles

An incredible achievement that won't soon be forgotten.

Wenger guided his team to an undefeated campaign in 2003-04, winning 26 matches and drawing 12 en route to a historic Premier League triumph.

Per FourFourTwo:

“Somebody threw me a t-shirt which read ‘comical Wenger says we can go the whole season unbeaten’,” remembered the gaffer in 2004 about a bold prediction he’d made a year before. “I was just a season too early.” When Wenger leaves the game altogether and we reflect on his manifold achievements – helping to free Arsenal from debt, the gorgeous football, three titles, two doubles, a Champions League final and relentless European qualification – it is The Invincibles season that will stand above all else. Only one other side have been through a league season unbeaten (Preston in 1888) and it is unlikely to happen more than once in the next 100 years.

Reaching the 2005-06 Champions League final

The Champions League final. In Paris. After conceding only two goals in the entire tournament - including clean sheet aggregate wins over Juventus and Real Madrid.

It was all setting up for the perfect conclusion after the defeat of Villarreal in the semi-final.

But the task proved too great that day in Wenger's home country, as Arsenal would fall 2-1 to Barcelona after late goals from Samuel Eto'o and, of all people, Juliano Belletti cancelled out Sol Campbell's opener.

Maybe things would have been different had Jens Lehmann not been sent off early in the first half.

Regardless, simply qualifying for the finale of the competition was a great accomplishment in its own right, and remains the closest Wenger has ever come to European glory.

Doing the double in 2001-02

After capturing the FA Cup four days earlier, Wenger brought his men to Old Trafford on the penultimate game of the season, needing only one point to add the league title to the trophy haul.

They left with all three, courtesy of a goal from Sylvain Wiltord.

Here, again, is FourFourTwo on the momentous win:

United’s three-year grip on the title was released, and Wenger’s exceptionally talented outfit had vindicated the Frenchman’s unshakeable belief in fast-paced, attractive play.

Wenger has overseen two such seasons at Arsenal, also winning the domestic double in 1997-98.

First Premier League title in 1997-98

It took Wenger only two seasons to bring silverware to Highbury, as the Gunners claimed the 1997-98 Premier League title by one point over Manchester United - who had won four of the last five league crowns.

It was Arsenal's first league title since 1991, and also signaled the first time a non-British manager had lifted the trophy.

In November of that campaign, Arsenal defeated the Red Devils 3-2 (pictured above) in a match that set the tone for the remainder of the season.

Related: Wenger's top five Arsenal signings

Bravo, Arsene.

Wenger will undoubtedly be hoping there is another addition to be made to this list come the end of the current season.