Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called the club's Premier League title win 'one of the best feelings I've ever had' after the Gunners were officially confirmed champions on 21 May, ending a 22-year wait for top-flight glory. The title was sealed not on the pitch but via a 1-1 draw between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth, which left City four points adrift of Arsenal with just one match remaining.

How the Title Was Won

Arsenal's championship was confirmed when Manchester City failed to beat AFC Bournemouth, drawing 1-1 at the Vitality Stadium. With only one game left in the season, City could no longer mathematically overhaul the North London side, handing Arsenal their fourth Premier League title in the club's history.

The triumph ends a painful drought stretching back to the legendary 2003/04 'Invincibles' campaign, when Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten. Under Arteta, the Gunners had endured three consecutive runner-up finishes, most recently in 2023/24 when City pipped them by just two points.

Arteta's Emotional Evening at Home

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Arsenal's final league fixture against Crystal Palace on Sunday, Arteta revealed he could not bring himself to watch City's match alongside his squad. 'I think 20 minutes before the game, I had to leave. I couldn't bring the energy that I wanted, and ultimately it was their moment to watch it together and be themselves,' he said.

The Spaniard retreated home instead, spending the evening with his family in the garden. 'I went home, I went outside to the garden and had a BBQ, and I didn't watch any of it. I was just hearing some noises in the living room, and suddenly the magic happened,' Arteta recalled. 'My eldest son opened the garden door, started to run towards me, gave me a hug, and said: 'We are Champions, daddy!' It was beautiful.'

A Nod to Bournemouth and Iraola

Arteta also singled out Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola for a pointed tribute. 'He nearly took the Premier League away from us, and then he helped us win it,' Arteta said, praising Iraola for the 'incredible job' he has done at the south-coast club. It was a rare moment of cross-club acknowledgement in what had been a fiercely contested title race.

A Historic Milestone for Arteta

With this victory, Mikel Arteta became the first former Premier League player to win the trophy as a manager — a distinction that underlines the singular nature of his achievement. Arteta, who played for Arsenal between 2011 and 2016, took charge of the club in December 2019 and has steadily rebuilt them into title contenders.

Arsenal's tally of four Premier League titles now places them two ahead of Liverpool and just one behind Chelsea in the all-time standings. The Gunners will round off their campaign against Crystal Palace, a match that now carries celebration rather than consequence.