Premier League race over: Arsenal win first title since 2004 after Man City's Bournemouth blunder

London: Arsenal was crowned Premier League champion for the first time since 2004 on Tuesday after Manchester City was held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth.

The stalemate officially ended Pep Guardiola's title challenge with only one match remaining in the domestic season. Manchester City required a victory at the Vitality Stadium to prolong the championship race until the final multi-game slate on Sunday. However, the single point left Arsenal with an insurmountable four-point advantage at the summit of the table, concluding the club's 22-year drought for a league title.

Supporters of the north London franchise gathered to celebrate outside the Emirates Stadium as news of the final whistle in Bournemouth circulated.

Manchester City briefly threatened to alter the narrative when Erling Haaland converted an equaliser during stoppage time to cancel out a first-half strike from Junior Kroupi, but the reigning champions ran out of time to orchestrate a winning goal.

Historical Significance and Future Targets

The achievement allows Mikel Arteta’s roster to secure their place alongside legendary club figures such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Ian Wright, who engineered the team's previous top-flight triumphs. The current Arsenal squad retains an opportunity to establish unprecedented success for the franchise by capturing the Champions League title for the first time in club history later this month.

Deliberations regarding the upcoming European final against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain can be temporarily deferred. The moment instead offers a period of vindication and celebration for Arteta, who guided the club to consecutive runner-up finishes in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons.

During the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns, the Spanish manager watched as Guardiola’s Manchester City overhauled Arsenal's advantages to claim the domestic crown. Another opportunity eluded the club last season when they finished second behind Liverpool.

An Elusive Title Secured

Throughout the current campaign, Arsenal consistently maintained its position at the forefront of the league. Despite witnessing its statistical advantage diminish during an intense final stretch of matches, the club successfully navigated the pressure to secure the title after a multi-decade wait.

Arsenal's previous domestic championship was achieved by the celebrated "Invincibles" roster of 2004, which completed the entire league schedule without enduring a single defeat.

With inputs from AP