Arsenal have won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years, clinching the title with a game to spare after Manchester City could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. The result left the Gunners four points clear at the top with just 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 night, courtesy of Kai Havertz's goal, which forced City to win to keep the title race alive. However, Pep Guardiola's team, with the manager set to leave this summer after a decade in charge, failed to hold their nerve. Bournemouth took the lead through Eli Junior Kroupi, and despite Erling Haaland's stoppage-time equaliser, City could not extend the race.
Former City defender Micah Richards expressed disappointment, saying, 'Congratulations to Arsenal, but for City, we just expect a little bit more. It’s a bad day. To fall away how they have, Everton is tough, Bournemouth too, but we expect more.'
Arsenal's title is their first since Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' went unbeaten in the 2003-04 season. The triumph comes in Arteta's seventh full season in charge, having rebuilt the squad. Declan Rice praised the team's mentality, stating, 'We knew on the inside that we had the belief and we could still win it. It’s emotional because where this club has come from over the last 10 years – the ups and downs.'
Arsenal can now complete a historic double by winning the Champions League for the first time next Saturday against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest. Celebrations erupted across north London as fans gathered in pubs to watch the decisive match.
