Arsenal win first Premier League title in 22 years after Manchester City draw at Bournemouth

Arsenal have finally ended their long wait for an English league title, becoming Premier League champions for the first time since the 2003/04 “Invincibles” season after Manchester City failed to beat Bournemouth in the 37th round.

Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City drew 1-1 away to Bournemouth. The result left Mikel Arteta’s side four points clear at the top of the table with only one match remaining, making it impossible for City to catch them.

The decisive moment came after a tense 37th round. Arsenal had done their part a day earlier by beating Burnley 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, while City needed to win at Bournemouth to keep the title race alive until the final weekend. Instead, Bournemouth held Pep Guardiola’s team to a draw, confirming Arsenal’s long-awaited return to the top of English football.

This is Arsenal’s first Premier League title since 2004, when Arsène Wenger’s “Invincibles” completed an unbeaten league season. Since then, the Gunners had watched Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Leicester City and Liverpool all win the title, while Arsenal themselves came close several times under Arteta before finally crossing the line this season.

For Arteta, the triumph marks the biggest domestic achievement of his managerial career. After taking charge in December 2019, he rebuilt Arsenal into regular title contenders, but the club had finished second in the previous three Premier League campaigns. This time, his team showed greater resilience in the run-in, responding to pressure from City with a crucial series of wins and one of the strongest defensive records in the league.

The title was confirmed while Arsenal’s players and staff watched City’s match together at the club’s training ground. Supporters also gathered around the Emirates Stadium and in nearby pubs, celebrating as the final whistle at Bournemouth ended a wait that had lasted more than two decades.

Arsenal will finish the league season away to Crystal Palace and are expected to receive the Premier League trophy after that match. The campaign may still become even more historic, as Arteta’s side are also due to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on May 30. If Arsenal win in Europe as well, this season will be remembered not only as the end of a 22-year drought, but as one of the greatest campaigns in the club’s modern history.