Arsenal win first league title in 22 years as players celebrate at training ground and fans rejoice in the pub

Arsenal have ended their long, arduous wait for a Premier League title thanks to Manchester City’s failure to beat Bournemouth.

Fans in north London rejoiced at the final whistle with the Cherries holding City to a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium, a result that ensures City cannot catch leaders Arsenal on the final day of the season.

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Eli Kroupi Jr’s delightful curling effort in the first half gave Bournemouth the lead and despite Erling Haaland’s equaliser deep into second half stoppage-time, it wasn’t enough for City to take the title race to the final day.

Arsenal are an unassailable four points clear of their title rivals going into the final round of fixtures.

Bournemouth were celebrating at full time with the result guaranteeing them European football for the first time in their history.

It’s a remarkable achievement considering they nearly fell out of the Football League in 2008 having been placed into administration.

But the night belongs to Arsenal, who after finishing runners-up for three successive seasons, they are finally over the line with their 14th league title in their history.

Mikel Arteta‘s men face Crystal Palace away in their final game on May 24 before heading to Budapest to contest the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Champions once again

At long last, this generation of Arsenal players have written their own history as they claim their first Premier League title since the Invincibles campaign in 2003/04.

As mentioned, the Gunners mounted two serious title challenges in consecutive seasons against City but fell short against them in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns.

City put up a poor title defence last term, however, Arsenal were unable to take advantage as Liverpool came out on top.

But Liverpool’s woeful season has finally allowed Arsenal to finally be the bride.

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Arsenal also spoil the farewell of outgoing City boss Pep Guardiola, who will leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season, and will be replaced by former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca at the helm.

“It’s been a long time coming, hasn’t it?” former Arsenal forward Alan Smith said reacting to Arsenal being confirmed as champions.

“Brilliant, fully deserved, they’ve had their moments in the last few seasons when they’ve come second.

“You deserve to win it when you finish top. They’ve had the best defence, they haven’t had the best attack – City have the best attack. But as an overall unit…

“Mikel Arteta’s done brilliantly well and I’m really pleased for my old club.”

Gracious in defeat

There will be no league title for Guardiola to finish his trophy-laden decade at City.

However, he was gracious in defeat as he offered his congratulations to Arsenal and his former assistant at City, Arteta.

Guardiola said post-match: “First of all, I congratulate Mikel, the staff, the players, for this Premier League. They all deserve it.

“Today, the fatigue was part of the game. The fatigue is always brilliant.

“We need the players in the final third and many things. Today, the fatigue from Crystal Palace and Brentford [in their last two games], especially the [FA Cup] final, came back here. So they have 12 days.

“The team is extraordinarily well managed and the physicality is dynamic and good.

“So we couldn’t do that. But we played against many, many things we couldn’t control. We didn’t give up. We continued, continued in the toughest periods in the season.

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“And at the end, it’s a pity that we cannot bring the chance, the hope, until the last time, until the last, I would say, game against Aston Villa.

“But accept the reality and congratulate Arsenal.”