Arsenal have officially been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years—and the Gunners didn’t even have to lace up their boots on Tuesday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s men were undoubtedly glued to the television watching title-chasers Manchester City take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, knowing even the smallest of missteps would grant them their long-awaited league title.
The Cityzens went on to suffer a poor 1–1 draw to the Cherries. The result put Pep Guardiola’s men four points back with just one game left to play, making it mathematically impossible to catch up to Arsenal, who sit atop the table with 82 points.
Winning the Premier League title as spectators on the night is hardly the dream scenario for the Gunners, but they won’t mind one bit. After finishing as the runners-up in the last three seasons, the bridesmaids are finally the bride—and Arteta has finally crossed the finish line in his sixth full season on the Emirates touchline.
The last time Arsenal topped the Premier League, Arsène Wenger led the north London outfit to its legendary invincible 2003–04 season. The Gunners went on an iconic 38-game unbeaten run to claim their 13th league title … and spent the next 22 years trying to climb the mountaintop back to glory.
Multiple stars came and went, as did managers, before Arteta began his project in Dec. 2019. Doubts followed the Spaniard the entire way, including this season when his men squandered a nine-point lead in the span of 11 days during a trying April.
Yet, the players in red put their heads down and got back to winning ways, securing four wins in as many matches after their massive stumble against City at the Etihad. Arsenal’s return to form, along with the Cityzens dropping points against Everton and Bournemouth, was enough to bring a league title back to north London.
Arteta’s men have shouldered intense criticism for their rather drab style of play and set-piece reliance, but no one can deny their results. Arsenal have conceded the fewest goals in the league (26) thanks to their stout backline and Premier League Golden Glove Winner David Raya between the posts, and have won a league-best 25 of their 37 matches.
Arsenal will no doubt be celebrating their Premier League title, but they cannot switch fully off just yet. Sure, their final league match of the season against Crystal Palace at the weekend is now nothing more than a formality, but there’s one massive game left on their schedule: the Champions League final.
The Gunners punched their tickets to Budapest after eliminating Atlético Madrid 2-1 on aggregate in the semifinals, setting up a date with defending cup holders Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Arsenal come into the title showdown with an unbeaten record in Europe’s premier club competition this season. After a perfect league phase campaign, they went on to eliminate Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP and Atlético Madrid in the knockout stage.
Should they get past PSG on May 30, they will secure their maiden Champions League title, capping off a dream season that would go down as the greatest in club history.
