Arsenal wins 14th English title
Mikel Arteta had warned in a press conference that he was going to become, for one evening, “the biggest supporter of Bournemouth of all time.” The Arsenal coach undoubtedly celebrated Eli Junior Kroupi’s goal against Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday. By punishing the Skyblues with a sumptuous curled shot from his right foot, the French striker offered the Gunners their 14th English title in history.
Now four points behind with one day left in the championship, Erling Haaland’s teammates had to win to stay alive in the title race. But there was no question of giving any gifts to the Cherries, who were ultra-realistic thanks to their French duo Truffert-Kroupi.
For what is likely his final season on the bench at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola saw his former right-hand man Mikel Arteta snatch the crown from him. The Spanish tactician of the Citizens, whose departure is imminent, appeared overwhelmed throughout the match, often holding his head in his hands. And the entrances of Phil Foden, Savinho, Rayan Cherki, and Omar Marmoush were not enough to allow his players to catch up despite Erling Haaland’s equalizer in stoppage time.
A first triumph since 2004
Twenty-two years after Thierry Henry’s Invincibles, Arsenal finally regains the top of English football. After a historic season, the Londoners will have one last mountain to climb to try to conquer Europe, with the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 in Budapest.
But the Gunners can already savor a well-deserved Premier League title. Despite their often criticized and soporific style of play, the club from the English capital has remained faithful to itself, as evidenced by their last decisive victory against Burnley on Monday (1-0). The Londoners have secured the bare minimum with a 17th clean sheet and an 18th corner goal this season in the Premier League, a record. Arsenal is in celebration mode and now dreams of writing a new chapter in its history in Hungary in about ten days.
