Arsenal have won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, clinching the title with a game to spare after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. The result leaves the Gunners four points clear with only one match remaining, securing their 14th league championship – the third-most in English football history.
Mikel Arteta's side had applied pressure with a narrow 1-0 victory over Burnley on Monday, courtesy of a Kai Havertz goal, forcing City to win to keep the title race alive. However, Pep Guardiola's team, who are set to lose their manager this summer after a decade in charge, could not hold their nerve. Bournemouth took the lead through Eli Junior Kroupi, and despite Erling Haaland's stoppage-time equaliser, the draw confirmed Arsenal as champions.
Former City defender Micah Richards expressed disappointment, saying: 'Congratulations to Arsenal, but for City, we just expect a little bit more, when it was in their hands, they couldn't get it over the line. It's a bad day.'
This is Arsenal's first title since Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' went unbeaten in the 2003-04 season. Under Arteta, now in his seventh full season, the club has been rebuilt and finally returned to the summit of English football. Declan Rice praised the team's mentality, stating: 'We knew on the inside that we had the belief and we could still win it. This club deserves really good things.'
Arsenal now have the chance to complete a historic double when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest next Saturday.
