Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The result means the Gunners are now four points ahead of City with just one game remaining, making it mathematically impossible for the champions-elect to be caught.
It is Arsenal’s first league title since the 2003-04 season, when they famously went the entire campaign unbeaten.
Mikel Arteta becomes the first former Premier League player to win the trophy as a manager.
He was appointed in December 2019, having played for the club between 2011 and 2016.
At the Vitality Stadium, it was Bournemouth teenager Junior Kroupi who proved to be Arsenal’s unlikely hero, scoring in the 39th minute to give the Cherries the lead — his 13th goal of the season, a new record for the most goals scored in a debut Premier League campaign by a teenager.
The goal put north London on the edge of eruption.
Erling Haaland lashed a left-footed shot past Djordje Petrovic in the 95th minute to level for City, but it was too little too late.
A draw was of no use to Pep Guardiola’s side, and the final whistle at the Vitality Stadium was the signal Arsenal fans had been waiting years for.
After finishing as runners-up in the last three seasons, the bridesmaids are finally the bride.
Arsenal have conceded the fewest goals in the league — 26 — and have won a league-best 25 of their 37 matches, with Golden Glove winner David Raya a key figure between the posts.
Before the match at the Vitality kicked off, Arteta had declared: “I think we are all supporters of Bournemouth because we know what it means.”
The Arsenal manager had said he planned to watch the game at home with his family, admitting: “I don’t know how long I can watch it.”
His patience was rewarded.
Arsenal’s success follows three consecutive seasons in which they finished as runners-up, including in 2023/24 when they finished an agonising two points behind Manchester City.
The years of near-misses have made this moment all the sweeter for supporters who have waited more than two decades.
Arsenal are now 14-time English top-flight champions, which includes four Premier League titles.
The Gunners will take a victory lap on Sunday at Crystal Palace, before shifting focus to the UEFA Champions League final on May 30 at Puskas Arena in Budapest, where they face reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
